402 Dunsmuir
A member of the Surbana Jurong Group, B+H Architects’ challenge for the 402 Dunsmir project was to maintain engagement with the city’s past while propelling it into the future through the design of a social space for innovation customised for a Global Tech Firm.
Responding to Vancouver’s recent market renaissance and evolution to a North American technology hub, B+H Architects’ design for 402 Dunsmuir aligns with the city’s ambitions of attracting North America’s top tech and entrepreneurial talent.
Located at the heart of downtown Vancouver just steps from historic Gastown District, this home for a Global Tech Firm is specifically designed for its anchor tenant, elevating the city’s position in a highly competitive and constantly evolving sector.
Decidedly industrial in its design vernacular, the vision for the project is inspired by urban lofts and industrial conversions, which are commonplace in the city, yet the building will provide amenities and efficiencies that older retrofits simply cannot. Planning, process and technology are utilised to their fullest potential as the project responds to Canada’s vision for smart, better and greener communities.
A strategic landscape design will enrich the site, encouraging pedestrian engagement through strong street connections and areas for socializing for both building tenants and the public. A central courtyard links the new building with the existing tower and will be an extension of the building lobbies, providing seamless transitions from interior to exterior spaces. Integrating and preserving existing cherry trees, the courtyard garden features terraced seating to transform it into an informal outdoor auditorium for special events or an area for respite.
Engaging the streetscape through leasable retail space, the ground level features operable windows that blur and extend the public realm. This human-scaled public space will generate activity at grade and create social moments for the community.
402 Dunsmuir responds to the need for spaces that encourage people to live, work and play. People instinctively want to be where other people are. When spaces in communities are created to encourage connections between people, spaces, services, and amenities, we create a dimension of livability within neighbourhoods that contributes to the livability of cities and adds to our overall quality of life.
