Burrard Exchange at 1025 Dunsmuir Street

Hudson Pacific Properties recently submitted their development application to the City of Vancouver for Burrard Exchange at 1025 Dunsmuir Street. 

The future 16-storey, mass timber office building will be the fifth tower located on the Bentall Centre complex. Bentall Centre is currently comprised of four office towers, all completed from the late 1960s to early 1980s. 

Burrard Exchange will replace the Thurlow Parkade and attached retail podium at the intersection of Thurlow and Eveleigh Streets (between Bentall 3 and Bentall 4 towers).

The development application includes the following:

• 16 storey office building
• Single-storey retail pavilion
• Max building height of 260 feet from grade
• Total floor area of ~461,000 square feet
• Two levels of underground parking with 173 parking spaces and 273 bike parking spaces

The proposal falls under the site’s existing DD zoning and is considered conditional, subject to the decision of the Director of Planning. The city is currently receiving feedback on the project until Jan. 7, 2022.

Prospective tenants will be most excited about these attributes

Large, Open Floor Plates

• Building floors are roughly 30,000 square feet, about twice the size of typical Vancouver office buildings
• Each floor will feature floor-to-floor heights of ~14.5 feet

Amenities and Outdoor Spaces

• Burrard Exchange will feature outdoor terraces on ~50% of its 16 floors
• Plans also include a spacious rooftop deck with a conference area
• Tenants will also have access to Bentall Centre’s newly renovated fitness space and rooftop dog park

Consideration Given to Commuting Employees

• Designated pick up/drop off for ride-share services and a direct connection to Burrard Skytrain Station – designed to keep employees dry on their commutes
• Access to a significant amount of secure bike lockers, supported by existing end-of-trip cycling amenities like showers and personal lockers

“Archi-Lovers” will be most excited about these elements

Dream Team

• Kohn Pederson Fox Associates (KPF) has been appointed as the design architect
• The Vancouver office of Adamson Associates Architects as the architect of record 
• The architectural team describes the project as “a modern, loft-like structure with strong emphasis on light-filled, healthy, biophilic environments, renewable resources, and minimized carbon footprints.”

Mass Timber Construction

• Once complete, Burrard Exchange (technically a hybrid mass timber project) will be one of the tallest exposed mass timber office buildings in North America
• A public plaza spanning ~20,000 square feet, united by the proposed pavilion (also constructed from timber) will become one of the largest outdoor gathering and event spaces in downtown Vancouver

With respect to the use of mass timber:

It is intended to be un-encapsulated and visible, highlighting and celebrating the project’s sustainable aspirations

Kohn Pederson Fox Associates

Owner and developer Hudson Pacific Properties (along with co-owner Blackstone Real Estate) told Daily Hive that they anticipate preliminary site preparation works to commence in early-2022.

Major construction could follow as soon as early-2023. This timeline is dependent on external factors including city approval and local office market conditions.