Rising Lantern (Office)

The rapidly changing Vancouver neighbourhood of Mount Pleasant is one of the new creative hubs in the evolving city. Many public murals have been completed on buildings in Mount Pleasant by local artists and these pieces of art enliven the area during the day. The proposed office building aims to provide new office space and through its unique building design animate the neighbourhood by serving as a new art object during the day and night.

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The massing of the tower is made up of three stacked volumes, each dictated by the height and setbacks set out in the City of Vancouver zoning bylaw for the site.  The building form is evocative of the movement found in a raised lantern. Each volume is partially wrapped in a perforated metal screen that creates a dramatic building facade. During the day, the metal screens diffuse natural light as it enters the office spaces to create an ever changing play of light and shadow, reducing glare, and providing optimal amounts of daylight for working. As the sun falls, a new understanding of the project occurs as the building becomes illuminated and the building's office courtyards and green spaces are revealed and become visible from the street.