402 Dunsmuir, located in the heart of downtown Vancouver at the intersection of Dunsmuir St and Homer St, is a nine-storey office complex that houses tech tenants including Amazon. Incorporating an existing parkade for the adjacent office tower, the building was designed to be a modern neighbour to the historic Holy Rosary Cathedral.

Project Essentials

  • LocationVancouver, BC
  • ClientOxford Properties Group Inc.
  • ArchitectB+H Architects
  • Size152,290 ft² (14,148 m²)
  • BudgetCAD $65 million
  • Sustainable FeaturesCertified LEED Gold

To provide continuous glazing panels to maximize the views surrounding the building, the design team developed a scheme that located the elevator and staircase core walls in the center of the building. Using the post tensioned cables inside the concrete slab, Fast + Epp was able to span a large (9m x 13m) typical bay, maximizing the open space between columns. The post-tensioned slab was the most economical and structurally efficient solution given such large spans. The concrete slab at every floor was kept as a flat plate as an economical design and construction solution.

This structure is the perfect example of a modern café-style office building that breaks the cold stigma of some office buildings. The re-use of the existing parkade structure helps this building keep a light environmental footprint, while the layout and design establishes a modern addition to a neighborhood attracting residents interested in architecture and form. Providing needed office space in an area full of revitalized buildings, this project elevates the standard for office design.