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Vancouver Heritage Foundation Weekly: What is International Style?

Vancouver Heritage Foundation is a registered charity supporting the conservation of heritage buildings and structures in recognition of their contribution to the city’s economy, sustainability and culture. image courtesy of vstarstudent.

Vancouver Heritage Foundation is a registered charity supporting the conservation of heritage buildings and structures in recognition of their contribution to the city’s economy, sustainability and culture.

201405051399254226406image courtesy of vstarstudent.com of the Guinness Tower lobby

 Vancouver Heritage Foundation runs a variety of new walking tours every year (with a few back by popular demand) from Spring through to Fall, throughout downtown and in all Vancouver neighbourhoods.  A new tour we have this August is the International Style of architecture found in Vancouver's downtown core. So what is International Style?  Our walking tour guide, Maurice Guibord elaborates by giving us a detailed look at what he considers one of the best examples: The 1969 Guinness Tower at 1055 West  Hastings, designed by Charles Paine & Associates. According to Guibord it "strictly follows the minimalist callings of the International style, with an impressive glass and aluminum curtain wall. The purest of its style in Vancouver, with an amazing surrealist ceramic mural in the lobby, but then, just above the doorways on the outside, the heraldic bestiary of the company. Guinness just couldn't help himself!"  Judging by the above image of the interior of the lobby, the simplified look is far more familiar, and recently back in style, than you may imagine. If you don't know a thing about International Style, why not join the second tour Saturday, August 30th from 10am-12pm and learn about this Modernist global architectural style and how it translated to some award-winning buildings in Vancouver.

And, if you've got 30 minutes during your lunch break TODAY, we are pleased to present 3 more free walking tours of West Hastings Street thanks to the Downtown Vancouver BIA. Fridays August 8, 15 and 22 from 12:15-12:45pm. No registration required. Show up at the parkette on Hastings at Hornby St and look for your guide Samuel Mickelson.