Architectural Tours

Architectural Tours

May 5, 2026

09:00 - 12:00

Vancouver's Olympic Village: Lessons Learned

Location: Tour Meet-Up Desk, 3rd Floor (near the Registration Desk)

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Gregory Borowski
Principal/Architect
Merrick Architecture

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Mark Zaitsoff
Managing Associate
Merrick Architecture

The Tour leads participants through the goals and outcomes of Vancouver's Olympic Village project. Intended as a model sustainable community—showcasing Vancouver's three pillars of social, economic and environmental sustainability—the project has now become a key Vancouver neighbourhood. What worked and what didn't work? Come and find out!

 

Transportation: shuttle
Walking distance: maximum 4km
PPE: not required

 

09:00 - 12:00

837 Beatty St – An Innovative Mass Timber Heritage Rehabilitation and Addition

Location: Tour Meet-Up Desk, 3rd Floor (near the Registration Desk)

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Bryan Lemos Beça
Associate Principal
Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects + Designers

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Rocio Huertas Garcia
Senior Project Leader
Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects + Designers

Explore this unique heritage rehabilitation and addition project of a 1911 masonry and heavy timber warehouse that balances densification with full building preservation. Located within the historic "Block 68" of Vancouver’s Yaletown, the tour will demonstrate how mass timber can be used to facilitate the adaptive reuse and preservation of heritage buildings. For more information on 837 Beatty Street, see here.

 

Transportation: walking
Walking distance: 1.1km
PPE: not required
Sponsored by

 

09:00 - 12:00

Hillcrest Aquatic Centre – Mass Timber in Practice

Location: Tour Meet-Up Desk, 3rd Floor (near the Registration Desk)

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Stephanie Kullman
Relationship Manager, Pacific Coast - USA and Canada
Western Archrib

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Giulia Natalini
Pre-Construction Manager
Western Archrib

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Andre Lema
Market Development - USA
Western Archrib

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Barbara Murray
Marketing and Communications Manager
Western Archrib

The Hillcrest Aquatic Centre tour offers architects a firsthand look at the design and delivery of a completed mass timber public building. Using the project as a real-world case study, the session explores how mass timber differs from conventional structural systems and the importance of engaging early with design and supply teams. Participants will review fundamental mass timber principles for beams, columns, and connections, while discussing fire performance, acoustics, and detailing for a high-humidity pool environment. The tour also examines how mass timber integrates with other structural building components.

 

Transportation: shuttle
Walking distance: less than 1km
PPE: not required

 

13:45 - 16:45

Skytrain Integrated Developments - Broadway Subway Great Northern Way Station with PCI

Location: Tour Meet-Up Desk, 3rd Floor (near the Registration Desk)

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Justin Tompson
Principal Associate
DIALOG

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Tim Grant
President
PCI Developments

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Jeff Spruston
Project Co Representative
Broadway Subway Project Corporation

Explore the new Broadway Subway system and how its being integrated into the city through a visit to Great Northern Way Subway Station including an integrated adjacent development. This tour will take place on an active construction site.

 

Transportation: shuttle
Walking distance: less than 1km
PPE: participants to bring their own boots. Hats and vests will be provided

 

13:45 - 16:45

Sen̓áḵw - A Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Led Development

Location: Tour Meet-Up Desk, 3rd Floor (near the Registration Desk)

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Andrew Boonngum
Project Architect
Kasian

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Jacob Lewis
Director, Community Development
Nchkay, Squamish Nation

This tour welcomes participants to Senakw, with a walk between downtown Vancouver and the Squamish Nation’s largest residential project that is transforming the city's skyline. Participants will be able to view active construction from the Burrard Bridge and tour the areas soon to be completed within the site. We’re excited to share the site’s history and how this project is shaping the future for the Squamish Nation and the city.

 

Transportation: walking
Walking distance: 4km
PPE: not required

 

13:45 - 16:45

Marpole Community Centre: Construction Site Tour

Location: Tour Meet-Up Desk, 3rd Floor (near the Registration Desk)

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Caroline Inglis
Architect
Diamond Schmitt Architects

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Amalie Lambert
Project Manager II
City of Vancouver

The Marpole Community Centre (opening September 2026) aspires to be Vancouver’s most inclusive, innovative, and high-performance facility. Participants are invited to tour the site with the architect and owner, who will discuss the challenges of designing and constructing a community building that balances ambitious sustainability and accessibility targets. For more information on Marpole Community Centre, see here.

 

Transportation: shuttle
Walking distance: less than 1km
PPE: participants to bring their own boots. Helmets, vests, and goggles will be provided
Sponsored by

 

May 6, 2026

09:00 - 12:00

Langara College: A Living Master Plan

Location: Tour Meet-Up Desk, 3rd Floor (near the Registration Desk)

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Wes Wilson
Principal
Teeple Architects Inc.

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Avery Guthrie
Principal
Teeple Architects Inc.

Over two decades, Langara College has transformed from a commuter campus into a cohesive, sustainable academic environment. This tour highlights landmark projects shaped by successive master plans, including the Library, Student Union, and Science & Technology Building, while exploring lessons in continuity, adaptation, and institutional identity through design.

 

Transportation: shuttle
Walking distance: 1km
PPE: not required

 

09:00 - 12:00

The Great White Way: Granville Street Walking Tour

Location: Tour Meet-Up Desk, 3rd Floor (near the Registration Desk)

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Kurt Kraler
Project Manager (Architect)
ERA Architects

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John Atkin
Heritage Consultant
Self-employed

Known as “the Great White Way,” Vancouver’s Granville Street once boasted the highest concentration of neon signs anywhere in the world. Join us to learn about the rise and fall of this vibrant commercial strip and how new signs, buildings, public art, and housing policy seek to preserve this unique legacy.

 

Transportation: walking
Walking distance: 4km
PPE: not required

 

09:00 - 12:00

Vancouver's Olympic Village: Lessons Learned

Location: Tour Meet-Up Desk, 3rd Floor (near the Registration Desk)

speaker headshot

Gregory Borowski
Principal/Architect
Merrick Architecture

speaker headshot

Mark Zaitsoff
Managing Associate
Merrick Architecture

The Tour leads participants through the goals and outcomes of Vancouver's Olympic Village project. Intended as a model sustainable community—showcasing Vancouver's three pillars of social, economic and environmental sustainability—the project has now become a key Vancouver neighbourhood. What worked and what didn't work? Come and find out!

 

Transportation: shuttle
Walking distance: maximum 4km
PPE: not required

 

May 7, 2026

09:30 - 12:30

Vienna House. Making Concepts Reality

Location: Tour Meet-Up Desk, 3rd Floor (near the Registration Desk)

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Sean Binns
Project Director
Kindred Construction

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Brandon Visser
Business Development Manager
Kindred Construction

This groundbreaking pilot project was conceived as a response to both the climate change and housing affordability crises in BC and will showcase innovative materials and processes designed to deliver high energy, multi-family living performance with low greenhouse gas emissions. This tour will cover the wins, the challenges, and what those looking to deliver similarly pioneering projects need to know before committing to such a journey.

 

Transportation: shuttle
Walking distance: less than 1km
PPE:participants to bring their own boots. Hard hats and vests will be provided
Sponsored by

 

09:30 - 12:30

UBC School of Biomedical Engineering Gordon B. Shrum Building & UBC Sauder School of Business Powerhouse Expansion - Under Construction

Location: Tour Meet-Up Desk, 3rd Floor (near the Registration Desk)

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Greg Boothroyd
Principal
Patkau Architects

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Tom Schroeder
Associate
Patkau Architects

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Alex Percy
Principal
Acton Ostry Architects

This tour highlights two landmark UBC projects. Beginning at the new School of Biomedical Engineering, attendees will view collaborative research and educational spaces interconnected by two atria. The route then continues on a 10-minute walk to the Sauder Powerhouse Expansion construction site for a look at the campus's first academic tower, characterized by unique curvilinear geometry.

 

Transportation: shuttle
Walking distance: less than 1km
PPE: not required

 

09:30 - 12:30

RandersTegl Danish Bricks Elevate Gibson Art Museum with Bold Design

Location: Tour Meet-Up Desk, 3rd Floor (near the Registration Desk)

speaker headshot

Arie Elmaleh
Architectural Consultant
Kreitmaker

The Gibson Art Museum, master-planned by Arthur Erickson, redefines contemporary architecture through a net-zero vision rooted in nature. Its mass-timber structure meets precision-crafted, specially shaped Randers Tegl clay brick from Denmark, merging traditional masonry artistry with modern performance. The result is a striking, purpose-built composition of material honesty and sculptural intent.

 

Transportation: shuttle
Walking distance: less than 1km
PPE: not required

 

14:15 - 16:00

The Great White Way: Granville Street Sign Tour

Location: Tour Meet-Up Desk, 3rd Floor (near the Registration Desk)

speaker headshot

Kurt Kraler
Project Manager (Architect)
ERA Architects

speaker headshot

John Atkin
Heritage Consultant
Self-employed

Known as “the Great White Way,” Vancouver’s Granville Street once boasted the highest concentration of neon signs anywhere in the world. Join us to learn about the rise and fall of this vibrant commercial strip and how new signs, buildings, public art, and housing policy seek to preserve this unique legacy.

 

Transportation: walking
Walking distance: 4km
PPE: not required

 

14:15 - 16:00

981 Davie – Design & Construction Tour

Location: Tour Meet-Up Desk, 3rd Floor (near the Registration Desk)

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Daniel Wilson
Architect and Project Manager
ZGF Architects

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Yassine Belkoura
Project Manager
Kindred Construction

"Participants will be guided through 981 Davie, a 17-storey, mixed-use high-performance building utilizing a point-supported CLT hybrid gravity structure and a Passive House–rated prefabricated envelope system. The tour will be led by the project’s design and construction team, who will provide insight into: • The design process and key factors shaping the building’s form and systems • Site constraints, coordination challenges, and major construction logistics • Early-phase integration strategies and risk mitigation approaches • BIM workflows and the use of highly detailed 3D models for envelope, structural, and MEPF coordination • Passive House–specific training initiatives and trade education developed to support the successful delivery of this building type Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of how the project team is approaching this innovative high-performance development from both design and construction perspectives."

 

Transportation: walking
Walking distance: less than 1km
PPE: participants to bring their own steel-toe boots. Hard hats and vests will be provided

 

14:15 - 16:00

Downtown Vancouver Walking Tour with Trevor Boddy

Location: Tour Meet-Up Desk, 3rd Floor (near the Registration Desk)

 

May 8, 2026

09:00 - 12:00

Hillcrest Aquatic Centre – Mass Timber in Practice

Location: Tour Meet-Up Desk, 3rd Floor (near the Registration Desk)

speaker headshot

Stephanie Kullman
Relationship Manager, Pacific Coast - USA and Canada
Western Archrib

speaker headshot

Giulia Natalini
Pre-Construction Manager
Western Archrib

speaker headshot

Andre Lema
Market Development - USA
Western Archrib

speaker headshot

Barbara Murray
Marketing and Communications Manager
Western Archrib

The Hillcrest Aquatic Centre tour offers architects a firsthand look at the design and delivery of a completed mass timber public building. Using the project as a real-world case study, the session explores how mass timber differs from conventional structural systems and the importance of engaging early with design and supply teams. Participants will review fundamental mass timber principles for beams, columns, and connections, while discussing fire performance, acoustics, and detailing for a high-humidity pool environment. The tour also examines how mass timber integrates with other structural building components.

 

Transportation: shuttle
Walking distance: less than 1km
PPE: not required

 

09:00 - 12:00

UBC School of Biomedical Engineering Gordon B. Shrum Building & UBC Sauder School of Business Powerhouse Expansion - Under Construction

Location: Tour Meet-Up Desk, 3rd Floor (near the Registration Desk)

speaker headshot

Greg Boothroyd
Principal
Patkau Architects

speaker headshot

Tom Schroeder
Associate
Patkau Architects

speaker headshot

Alex Percy
Principal
Acton Ostry Architects

This tour highlights two landmark UBC projects. Beginning at the new School of Biomedical Engineering, attendees will view collaborative research and educational spaces interconnected by two atria. The route then continues on a 10-minute walk to the Sauder Powerhouse Expansion construction site for a look at the campus's first academic tower, characterized by unique curvilinear geometry.

 

Transportation: shuttle
Walking distance: less than 1km
PPE: not required

 

09:00 - 12:00

RandersTegl Danish Bricks Elevate Gibson Art Museum with Bold Design

Location: Tour Meet-Up Desk, 3rd Floor (near the Registration Desk)

speaker headshot

Arie Elmaleh
Architectural Consultant
Kreitmaker

The Gibson Art Museum, master-planned by Arthur Erickson, redefines contemporary architecture through a net-zero vision rooted in nature. Its mass-timber structure meets precision-crafted, specially shaped Randers Tegl clay brick from Denmark, merging traditional masonry artistry with modern performance. The result is a striking, purpose-built composition of material honesty and sculptural intent.

 

Transportation: shuttle
Walking distance: less than 1km
PPE: not required

 

13:45 - 16:45

Urban Sketching Tour: Vancouver Through Waterways

Location: Tour Meet-Up Desk, 3rd Floor (near the Registration Desk)

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Anh Le Quang
Partner Architect
NEUF architect(e)s

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Madsen Canitz
Intern Architect
Office of mcfarlane biggar architects + designers

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Annabelle Beauchamp
Design and Brand Director
NEUF architect(e)s

Take a 2.2 km urban sketching tour of Granville Island along a path that highlights a selection of waterfront transportation and infrastructure conditions. From the False Creek Ferry dock, an active marine transit node connecting Granville Island to the broader False Creek network, to Tap & Barrel, a former industrial structure adapted for public use along the working waterfront, discover three sites that reveal how water, movement, and infrastructure have shaped the island over time. The tour concludes at Sea Village, a residential edge where floating homes meet the working waterfront, offering a third perspective on the evolution of this unique landscape.

 

Transportation: walking and water taxi
Walking distance: 2.2km
PPE: not required

 

13:45 - 16:45

Sen̓áḵw - A Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Led Development

Location: Tour Meet-Up Desk, 3rd Floor (near the Registration Desk)

speaker headshot

Andrew Boonngum
Project Architect
Kasian

speaker headshot

Jacob Lewis
Director, Community Development
Nchkay, Squamish Nation

This tour welcomes participants to Senakw, with a walk between downtown Vancouver and the Squamish Nation’s largest residential project that is transforming the city's skyline. Participants will be able to view active construction from the Burrard Bridge and tour the areas soon to be completed within the site. We’re excited to share the site’s history and how this project is shaping the future for the Squamish Nation and the city.

 

Transportation: walking
Walking distance: 4km
PPE: not required

 

13:45 - 16:45

Skytrain Integrated Developments - Broadway Subway Great Northern Way Station with PCI

Location: Tour Meet-Up Desk, 3rd Floor (near the Registration Desk)

speaker headshot

Justin Tompson
Principal Associate
DIALOG

speaker headshot

Tim Grant
President
PCI Developments

speaker headshot

Jeff Spruston
Project Co Representative
Broadway Subway Project Corporation

Explore the new Broadway Subway system and how its being integrated into the city through a visit to Great Northern Way Subway Station including an integrated adjacent development. This tour will take place on an active construction site.

 

Transportation: shuttle
Walking distance: less than 1km
PPE: participants to bring their own boots. Hats and vests will be provided