The Waterfall Building, Vancouver

For a moment, I thought I was not in Vancouver.

The Waterfall Building does not look like a typical building you are likely to find in Vancouver.  Maybe because of the glass windows, or the concrete walls and concrete tiles on the ground.  This certainly does not remind me of Vancouver.  And how refreshing to see this building.

It looks like partially for office use….

and partially residential.  It is somehow capturing my curiosity.

How do you keep this building cool?  It is literally a oversize greenhouse.

All the different shapes and reflections on this combination of structure is making me in awe.

More information found at http://www.6717000.com/waterfall/:

The Waterfall Building is part of a new mixed-use project located in Vancouver, British Columbia developed by Hillside Development Ltd. in 2000-2001. The ground floor is reserved for general office, retail or service use, while the remainder of the project is a mixture of commercial and “live/work” space.

The green roof system was intended to meet the goals of creating an aesthetically pleasing community recreational space which met both the social development goals of Hillside and the community revitalization goals of the city. As Hillside Development was also requesting a relaxation of the City of Vancouver’s building height limitations, the development proposal had to incorporate features that would benefit the community. The green roof, visible to the public, was seen as a beautification of the area and supported the development application. In addition, the open, street-level courtyard is a public space that greatly enhanced the community. A covenant was signed between the developing company and the City of Vancouver, ensuring that this space would remain open to the public a condition of the development approval.

Nearby is popular Granville Island, reclaimed industrial land beneath one of the city’s main bridges which in the late 1970s and early 80s was transformed into a bustling community of shops, theaters, restaurants, bars, and hotels.

For more information about the Waterfall Building, visit the developer’s web site: http://www.hillside.ca/1540/erickson.htm.