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Mid-century accommodations Opened in 1946 as the “2400 Court,” a reference to when Motor Courts proliferated Kingsway (the main route leading in and out of Vancouver at the time), the 2400 rebranded itself as a “motel” in the early 1960s when more luxurious motor hotels (or, motels) began popping up along the busy thoroughfare. By the 1970s, new highway, bridge and Read more...
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Mid-century residential buildings The waterfront block of Argyle Ave. and its surrounding area – especially Bellevue Avenue – between 21st and 22nd Streets in the Dundarave/Ambleside area of West Vancouver was rezoned for apartment buildings in 1959 so it’s no wonder it boasts some of the sweetest mid-century modern construction in Metro Vancouver. With names like “The Crescent,” “Villa Maris” and “The Read more...
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Mid-century brutalist buildings Designed in 1965 by noted architect Arthur Erickson (along with Geoffrey Massey) for the Canadian forestry company of the building’s original namesake, MacMillan Bloedel, the two offset 27-story towers that comprise Arthur Erickson Place (as it was renamed in 2022) was a landmark of minimalist modernism at the time it went up in 1968. The towers’ primary Read more...
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Vintage mid-century antiques This jam-packed shop has been providing Vancouverites with a great assortment of vintage mid-century furniture, home accessories and collectable items since 1988; long before it was trendy to do so. Your one stop shop on The Drive – the wonderfully bohemian Commercial Drive! – for modernist, retro and vintage sofas, tables, chairs, kitchenware, Fiestaware, lighting, clocks, glassware, pottery, Read more...
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Mid-century art/mid-century banks Tucked away above rows of greeting cards inside a busy downtown Vancouver drugstore at Granville & Dunsmuir streets endures a visually gripping mid-century mosaic mural by renowned Canadian artist & architect, BC Binning. For real! Commissioned as a feature wall inside this former Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce building (designed by influential architects McCarter & Nairne, in 1958), Binning’s mural – measuring Read more...
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Mid-century office buildings Designed by architects Ron Thom & Ned Pratt (1955-1957) to house the B.C. Electric Company – later to be merged with BC Hydro – this 23-story tower is a classic example of the International Style and, at the time, was said to be the tallest building in the British Commonwealth. Although tall – for Vancouver in the Read more...
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Mid-century residential buildings Designed by Ojars Kalns (CBK Van Norman & Associates) and built in 1965, with a fourth tower added [to the original three] north of Harwood Street in 1968, the iconic Beach Towers follow Le Corbusier’s “towers in the park” dictum where structures are set back allowing room for plazas, parking and landscaping. Kalns also elevated his buildings (on stilts) Read more...
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Mid-century modern buildings & art Located along Vancouver’s downtown Burrard Street corridor, the Bentall Centre holds a bank pavilion and four towers (housing established businesses and law offices) which were constructed between 1965 – 1981. Bentall One (1967) and Bentall Two (1969) were designed by Frank Musson and Charles Bentall using New Formalist principals that boast graceful precast white concrete Read more...
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Mid-century modern buildings/art Located at Queen Elizabeth Park, the Bloedel Conservatory’s triodetic dome consists of over 1400 acrylic bubbles and an aluminum frame supported by a Brutalist concrete perimeter; the first of its kind in Canada and all very futuristic when it opened to the public in 1969. Its designers, Underwood, McKinley, Cameron, Wilson and Smith, structural engineers Thorson & Read more...
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Mid-century modern buildings Designed by Percy Underwood and completed in 1961, the Vancouver Parks Board offices are comprised of three low lying linked buildings finished with natural stone, Douglas fir and clerestory windows. Its split level interior boasts beautiful and well preserved wood paneling, custom designed lighting fixtures and vintage furniture, all designed by Underwood. Celebrated for its naturalistic approach Read more...
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Vintage mid-century fashion Boasting 3,000 sq. feet of retail space filled with an assortment of vintage wear, Bohemia Gallery’s mid-century collection can be found upstairs in “The Loft” where guys can choose from retro rat pack style suit jackets, ties and Aloha shirts while girls can find the perfect pill box hat to wear with their Bohemian Gallery swing coat. Read more...
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Mid-century modern buildings Designed by CBK Van Norman in 1955, the Burrard Building was the first office high rise to go up in downtown Vancouver using new post-war modernist design and building techniques… at least on its trendy Miesian exterior. The interior holds a more traditional, less open floor plan, which the B.C. Electric/Hydro building improved upon when it went up the following Read more...
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Mid-century Danish Modern If you like Scandinavian mid-century modern then you’ll definitely want to visit By Design Modern, Western Canada’s largest purveyor of vintage Danish Modern furniture. Beautifully restored sofas, tables, chairs, cabinets, desks and more by prolific and award winning designers like Arne Jacobsen, Jens Risom and Finn Juhl are all personally sourced in Denmark on regular buying trips so you know what Read more...
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West coast modernist houses Following the completion of the Lions Gate Bridge by Monsarrat & Pratley in 1937 – which linked Vancouver to the North Shore – residential construction in the Capilano Highlands and surrounding environs began in earnest and continued through the 1950s and 60s when the area saw a boom in West Coast modern post & beam and ranch Read more...
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Contemporary mid-century furniture Custom made-to-order retro-inspired chairs, TV stands and sideboards is what you’ll find at Carte Blanche Furniture, a Canadian manufacturer whose line of mid-century contemporary designs can be found in limited quantities at retailers The Living Lab in North Vancouver and Wire Home Furnishings in Richmond. Carte Blanche’s retailers deal mostly in contemporary designs that will likely leave most Read more...
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Mid-century modern buildings On the north side of West Hastings Street’s 1100 block, downtown, just past the Guinness Tower, sit three mid-century buildings constructed in the 1960s-70s by developer R.C. “Dick” Baxter. Known at the time as Columbia Centre, Baxter’s business complex boasted restaurants, offices, a hotel and was once located on prime waterfront property until Coal Harbour’s shoreline was Read more...
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Mid-century vintage fashion Community Thrift & Vintage in historic Gastown is actually comprised of two stores; their Unisex location at 11 West Hastings Street (see map), and The Frocke Shoppe for ladies wear, around the corner at 311 Carrall Street. Both shops carry a modest selection of nice vintage clothing & accessories from the 1940s to the 1990s, and although Read more...
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Mid-century modern buildings The Canadian Pacific Telecommunications Centre (currently occupied by Allstream) was the first mid-century modern structure to go up in Vancouver’s Historic Gastown, a district better known for its classical turn-of-the-century architecture. Designed by Francis Donaldson in 1968, the CP building utilized many of the New Formalist axioms such as an elevated profile, pristine columns and smooth, white, precast Read more...
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Mid-century modern buildings Wanting to create a functional space that would house a downtown electrical substation as well as double as public art, BC Electric’s chief in the early 1950s, Edward “Dal” Grauer, commissioned architect Ned Pratt and artist BC Binning to make it so. The result was a stunning 3-story rectangular concrete box which boasted a street-front facade of Read more...
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Mid-century modern buildings When called upon to design a new downtown office building in the early 1960s, rather than go full-on high-rise, architect Gerald Hamilton designed a more intimate 8-story complex; a cluster of three towers (1 low and 2 mid-rise) artfully finished in white marble resting on green arched columns above a raised courtyard. He adorned nice minimalist embellishments on Read more...
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Mid-century furniture & collectibles Permanently Closed, May, 2020 What happens when a movie set decorator and a certified antique Appraiser open a shop? You get Filmgo Sales, one of the most unique vintage and collectible stores you’ll likely ever set foot in. Part consignment showroom, part clearing house for Hollywood North’s film and TV productions, FilmGo Sales carries a large and Read more...
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Mid-century modern furniture Billed as Vancouver’s largest mid-century & Danish modern, vintage and contemporary furniture showroom, this place has a lot going for it including a great selection of new and vintage pieces in immaculate condition. Scandinavian designs by Arne Jacobsen, Finn Juhl and Hans Olsen are featured alongside mid-century classics by Charles & Ray Eames, Eero Saarinen and George Nelson. Read more...
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Vintage Clothing and Collectibles Fun Häus is a treasure trove of vintage style just off Commercial Drive, featuring an eclectic mix of clothing, vinyl records, toys, artwork, home décor and pop culture collectibles. Whether you’re searching for the perfect vintage Aloha shirt or a nostalgic piece from decades past, the constantly changing inventory rewards repeat visits. More than just a Read more...
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495 W Georgia St, Vancouver, BC V6B 1Y0 Mid-century postal buildings Occupying an entire city block in Vancouver’s downtown core, the currently decommissioned General Post Office was designed by John McCarter & George Nairne and constructed between 1952-1958. It’s the city’s biggest, boldest and perhaps most distinguished mid-century modern structure still standing, so naturally it has no protective status and its Read more...
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Mid-century modern buildings & art Distinctive for its ocean green rectangular enamel panels that alternate with its glass facade, the Guinness Tower was designed by Charles Paine, circa 1967-69, and is one of the city’s finest examples of the International Style. The 23-story tower is located in downtown Vancouver’s financial district and adjacent to the equally modernist Oceanic Plaza. Its main Read more...
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Mid-century brutalist buildings A Vancouver landmark since it went up in 1977, the Harbour Centre Tower was designed by the Webb, Zerafa, Menkes and Housden partnership employing the then, more oft-used, mid-70s Brutalist style. Its smooth unadorned concrete exterior holds two glass elevators and stands 28-stories tall – more than 40 if you include its distinctive flying saucer-shaped topper which Read more...
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Mid-century/contemporary furniture One of only two Workplace Resources in Canada, this official Herman Miller dealer creates workplaces of the future for individuals and companies by offering up some of the most iconic designs from the past. Newly manufactured mid-century chairs, tables and desks from designers like Eames, Nelson, Goetz and Noguchi are all available, as are modern classics like the Read more...
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Mid-century accommodations Built in 1948 by an ex Marine inspired by his time in the Pacific during World War II, the Polynesian-themed Waldorf Hotel and its Tiki Bar (designed by Mercer & Mercer) were a sensation in Vancouver during the 1950s and 60s and are making a comeback thanks to a recent extensive renovation. The colorful East Vancouver property holds Read more...
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Mid-century modern buildings & art Beautifully rendered in precast white concrete and perhaps representing the forward thinking optimism of 1960s space exploration (is it a spaceship?), the H.R. MacMillan Planetarium and Centennial Museum complex – now known as the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre and Museum of Vancouver (MOV) – was designed by Gerald Hamilton and named for B.C. forestry magnate Read more...
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Modernist home furnishings If you want high end mid-century classics from the likes of Herman Miller, Knoll or Artimide, look no further than Inform Interiors in historic Gastown. Their 3-story showroom feels more like an interior design museum with classic pieces by Eames, Nelson, Bertoia and Saarinen displayed to appreciate, or covet, as well as offering a decent-sized area devoted Read more...
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Mid-century vintage fashion Located on the north end of the wonderfully bohemian Commercial Drive, this busy shop is overflowing with a large and varied collection of hand-picked vintage men & women’s clothing from the 1930s – 1980s. Styles that set the trends for nearly fifty years are here, such as rockabilly, pin-up, tiki, mod, carnaby and more. You name it, if Read more...
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Mid-century/contemporary furniture located in Vancouver’s Armoury Design District, the Living Space showroom was created by internationally recognized designer Omer Arbel and boasts 2 large levels of high end designer furniture and home accessories. In addition to featuring a curated collection of mid-century name brands like Knoll and Herman Miller from period designers such as Bertoia, Nelson and Saarinen, Living Space also features Read more...
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Mid-century modern buildings Located at Vanier Park – a few minutes walk from the modernist H.R. MacMillan Planetarium – the Maritime Museum has been a fixture on Vancouver’s Kitsilano waterfront since 1958 when Raymond O. Harrison and CBK Van Norman designed the modest low lying concrete and brick building (which holds a collection of historic maritime art, artifacts, a library Read more...
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Mid-century modern furniture PERMANENTLY CLOSED Established in 1984, Metropolitan Home was one of Vancouver’s very first stores to specialize in vintage mid-century modern furniture & home decor and is still at the top of the list for those seeking out well crafted, unique vintage pieces that tell a story. Owners Mary Watson & Dana Coburn are friendly, knowledgeable and have connections that Read more...
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Mid-century vintage fashion Don’t let the small entrance fool you, for inside this former hardware store lies over 3,000 square feet of vintage mid-century attire that might just blow your mind. Men’s and women’s coats, jackets, blazers, pants, dresses, shirts, ties, hats, foot ware, jewelry, accessories and more from the refined 1950s to the glam 1970s are here for the Read more...
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Mid-century modern tours There are a handful of decent modernism tours in Vancouver and a couple of great resources if you’d rather go the self-guided route. The Vancouver Heritage Foundation offers walking tours throughout the year, a select number of which focus on mid-century modern architecture. Check their website for details. Additionally, Walking Tours of Vancouver are organized by civic historian John Read more...
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Mid-century modern buildings Within a few blocks of each other in downtown Vancouver are a handful of nice mid-century structures originally built to house the Western headquarters for some of Canada’s national banks… just click on addresses below for their Google Map locations. Bank of Canada Building (900 West Hastings Street ) – Designed by Thompson, Berwick & Pratt and Read more...
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Mid-century modern buildings As construction boomed in the post-war years so too did the number of places to worship. Modernist A-Frames dominated the religious landscape on the West Coast but there were also more unique structures being built. We’ve listed a handful here (along with some A-Frames) with corresponding photos, and will continue to add more… click on addresses below for Read more...
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Mid-century modern buildings Vancouver Fire & Rescue currently has twenty-two Fire Halls serving the city, a handful of which were built (or, rebuilt) during the 1950s and 60s. Here’s a quick run down of these modest mid-century structures with corresponding photos… click on addresses below for Google Map locations. Fire Hall No. 2 (199 Main Street ) – Clean, simple, compact and Read more...
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Mid-century modern buildings & art There are over 20 branches of the Vancouver Public Library with only a handful from the mid-century still serving their original function and one, the former Central Library, which was repurposed. The best are listed here in no particular order with corresponding photos… click on addresses below for Google Map locations. Central Library (750 Burrard Street Read more...
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Brutalist buildings Located at the University of British Columbia, the Museum of Anthropology is world renowned for its collection of Northwest Coast First Nations art and artifacts and is definitely worth checking out. Architecturally speaking, however, it’s all about the award-winning building that houses said artifacts, and for that reason this 1975 Arthur Erickson designed glass & concrete brutalist monument Read more...
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Mid-century heritage Not only is the Museum of Vancouver a great place to learn about the city’s heritage, but it’s also located inside one of Vancouver’s most jaw-droppingly awesome mid-century modern structures, the H.R. MacMillan Planetarium building, c.1968 (now called the H.R. MacMillan Space Center). Inside, the three museum wings are clustered around a central core (the planetarium) that house permanent Read more...
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Mid-century modern buildings The North Vancouver City Hall is a great example of how to save a vintage building through restoration, renovation and repurposing while also using recycled and natural elements to help keep the structure sustainable. In 2013, a vacant library next to the 1970s City Hall heritage building was repurposed as staff offices and meeting space while a Read more...
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Mid-century residential buildings Before 1956 if you’d wanted to build an 18-story waterfront tower in Vancouver’s residential West End it wasn’t possible, but adjustments to the city zoning regulations by a progressive City Council changed all that and by 1958 the first residential high-rise at English Bay went up. And what a building it was… and still is! Designed by Rix Reinecke of the architectural design Read more...
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Mid-century modern buildings/plaza The best thing about this downtown mid-1970s Miesian office building’s namesake is its plaza. Sure, the 26-story, glass curtained tower – designed by Charles Paine – evokes an elegantly timeless mid-century modern vibe, and it’s a gorgeous structure to be sure, but it’s the open concrete plaza at its base (also by Paine) tying it all together with Read more...