Vancouver Convention Centre: West Building

Vancouver Convention Centre Interior

Who: Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building
vancouverconventioncentre.com
What: Public tour, 45-60 mins
When: Year-round, once a month, usually a weekday in the morning
Where: 1055 Canada Place
Vancouver, BC V6C 0C3
Canada
Price: FREE, book on the Contact page.

This is the Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, not to be confused with the East Building, VCC Vancouver Community College, nor VCC Vancouver City Centre SkyTrain Station.

Vancouver Convention Centre Exterior with Raindrop sculpture in the distance
Typical gloomy day in Vancouver

6 interesting facts about the Vancouver Convention Centre

#1 It houses four bee hives

The honey they produce is used in their kitchen.

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The 4 bee hives can be seen here on top of the slope.

#2 The wood-planked walls are directional in design

North and south-facing walls show the sides of the planks; East and West-facing walls show the ends of the planks.

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#3 It has rooftop garden

Rooftop garden, just grass for now (Feb 2016)

 #4 It is nature-themed

Example: This raindrop
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Example: These acorn sculptures

Hanging from the ceiling, these wooden acorn sculptures
These acorn-like wooden sculptures are made of pine wood, reclaimed from the beetle epidemic.

Example: These floor tiles

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The floor tiles of this conference room is a gradation of earthy tones and blue tones, representing the part of the building above land and above sea.
Lower level, mosaic floor of a raindrop and outlines.
Another raindrop

#5 It connects to other buildings underground

There are 3 or 4 underground connectors to other buildings, including the East Building and nearby hotels.

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This connector is open to the public, and displays Native art / inspired pieces.
Paralympic torches.
Artifacts from the Winter Olympics.

#6 The spinning globe was not part of the original design

A smaller version of this globe was part of an exhibit during the Olympics. It was meant to be temporary but was so popular the convention centre commissioned a larger version to put at the reception. It fits perfectly.

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My Thoughts

Nice building. Tour guide seem rushed on a schedule, but it was a neat little tour nonetheless.

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