The MacMillan-Bloedel Building, Vancouver, BC.

[mbarrick]

Well, it used to be the MacMillan Bloedel Building, now it is simply "1075 West Georgia Street". MacBlo had it built as their corporate headquarters in 1968, Arthur Erickson was the architect. That pretty much establishes a wholly Vancouver pedigree. As far as skyscapers go this one is unusual in that 100% of the weight is borne by the exterior walls (which is why they are so thick). This was done to give the building a tree-like taper (for non-British Columbians, MacMillian Bloedel is a forestry company). The side of the building that faces Thurlow Street (which I can see down the alley from my living room window) has a corrugated rough concrete texture that is meant to look like tree bark. At the corner of Greorgia and Thurlow is a small garden with several pine trees in it and out front of the building is a pond/fountain (the building is accessed via little bridges over the pond) that further invoke the local forests. I used to hate this building - it reminded me of the sort of cubby holes they have in swimming pool changing rooms - but it has grown on me. Which is a good thing, I work right across the street from it.

A ladder to the sky. Like a tree you almost want to climb it.

Contrasting the construction against the more conventional Royal Tower next door.

Part of the fountain and the little bridge to the lobby entrance.

Comments

[sycochk.livejournal.com]

hey thats the waffle building!! yuumm waffles...(drool)

[taoboy.livejournal.com]

I really like your eye for good pictures.

[mbarrick.livejournal.com]

Thanks :-)

[deckards-sixth.livejournal.com]

Oh WOW I really like the one of the water fountain.

[seymour-glass.livejournal.com]

i moved away from vancouver in 1974 and i always remembered three buildings downtown...the first was the hotel vancouver, that is obvious...another was the macblo building, it was the tallest in that part, that i remember anyway...the third was the now "westcoast energy" building...because it was so different and also meant we were close to stanley park...when i returned in 1990 i was looking around for the macblo building...i was amazed that i couldn't locate it for a while because the city had grown up around it...i took some training in there for the government, cool building...come to think of it i did remember the harbour centre and of course woodward's...i loved going in there...