Midnight at the Oasis: Cathedral Place, by Merrick Architecture’s award winners of Design & Heritage .Downtown Vancouver’s first entirely new office development that actually significantly addressed the architectural heritage of its site in a full and comprehensive way. Designed 1986-1987 (finally completed/opened in 1991) Only the offices of Paul Merrick’s architectural firm could pull this off ... doing so, the Design team won the support of a City Hall (who were under intense pressure to stop the project). The building provides the class A commercial space required by The Shon Group in a masterful array of architectural features expressing a historical site’s Gothic/Art Deco legacy, as well as its contemporary context. Very Post-Modern all these layerings of Period references & Design timelines. Cathedral Place was designed to fit its site as comfortably as any perfectly crafted keystone would fit into an arch. Reflecting the #architecturalcharacter of the Christ Church Cathedral & the Hotel Vancouver opposite. Plus, having an air of permanence & harmony associated with heritage buildings of bygone eras. Ornamental components of the original Medical Dental Building were reinstated in the new façade, giving the structure rebirth & extending part of Vancouver’s heritage into a longer term future. Cathedral Place’s tenants have double advantages: the very best in modern office / retail spaces within a building full of classical design characteristics & high l-end luxury appointments. It’s a favourite with Law Firms. Structural innovations ensure the interiors are easily adapted to future needs & building services provide premium efficiency & flexibility of needs. CLIENT Shon Group of Companies STATUS Completed 1991 BUDGET $44 million AREA 30,100 sq. metres AWARDS 1992 Lieutenant Governor General Award of Merit, 1991 Financial Post Design Excellence Award, Architectural Design #vancouverarchitecture #architecturevancouver #smallstudiodesign (at Cathedral Place)