Tall & Urban News

After a decade of planning, Vancouver developer Joo Kim Tiah of Holborn Group has unveiled an ambitious proposal for a new supertall skyscraper in downtown Vancouver. The 1,033-foot (315-meter) high-rise would anchor a mixed-use development featuring 60- and 80-story residential towers, 1,288 condos, 273 rental units, a hotel with 920 rooms, a glass-topped observation deck, retail space, and a large public plaza. A separate site at 388 Abbott Street would include 378 nonmarket housing units, a daycare, and an Indigenous art gallery.

The plan follows two key changes: the city-ordered demolition of the derelict Dunsmuir House, a 1909 heritage building Holborn had owned since 2006, and an amendment to Vancouver’s view cone policy that now permits taller buildings. While the loss of Dunsmuir House was unintended, architect Gregory Henriquez said it allowed for a more generous public realm.

The design takes cues from sea sponges and coral reefs, with lattice-like exoskeletons and sculptural podiums. The observation deck will be free for locals, reflecting the developer's aim to build public support and financial viability for the project. Holborn says the overall development will achieve embodied carbon levels 50 percent below city targets. However, the company must still address concerns over the neglect and loss of the heritage Dunsmuir House, which had formerly provided low-income housing.

Learn more at The Globe and Mail.