Renovation completed at a heritage building at the corner of Cambie and W 17th by Waissbluth Architecture Office

Cambie Revitalization

Cambie Revitalization

Vancouver, BC

Revitalization of two aging buildings with a combined 7,000 sf footprint in a high traffic business district serving the Cambie Village community of Vancouver.

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WAO provided a complete service upgrade, converting the existing building to meet requirements for a successful Change of Use application. Currently working on renovation for operator.

Located in Cambie Village on the corner of West 17th and Cambie Street in Vancouver, this project is a breath of fresh air along this prominent heritage boulevard. In an area zoned for multilevel mixed used developments the new owners of this site opted to revitalize rather than to build new.

Before photo of corner building at Cambie and W17th before it was renovated by Waissbluth Architecture Office

The first phase of the building’s revitalization was to upgrade its exterior facade using a simple palette of black and white to achieve a minimal and modern appearance.

The site consists of 2 single storey buildings built in the late 1940’s which were visibly showing their age. The existing character and structure of the buildings provide a great foundation to express the composition of old and new.

To add definition and depth to the exterior expression of the building a series of metal slats were installed wrapping around the upper portion of the facade along Cambie and West 17th.

Biercraft restaurant front at Cambie and W17th newly renovated building by Waissbluth Architecture Office

The final and most complex phase of the revitalization involved the complete upgrade to the buildings structure and change of use to the Auto Repair Garage along West 17th. With its elegant mass timber roof structure and concrete masonry walls. The building required a completely new structural support system installed within the walls without compromising its exposed timber trusses. With the completion of the structural and building upgrades the Auto Repair Garage is prepared for its new life as a restaurant.

540 W17th garage under renovation by Waissbluth Architecture Office540 W17th garage under renovation by Waissbluth Architecture Office