Spread over four levels and encompassing 39,000 sq ft, the Sparks Home Furnishings Building spans the length of a city block in the heart of downtown Vancouver. After being called home to a family-owned furniture company for over 60 years, the building was renovated to provide commercial business space for seven tenants.
As a result of the topography of the site, the existing building contained two ground-level entries, one on the east and one on the west. Entries were added on the south face of the building to provide access directly to tenant spaces and to a common corridor that connects interior tenant spaces and shared restroom facilities.
Exterior modifications included painting the existing brick and concrete facade, replacement of storefronts at existing openings, several new window openings, and the addition of new Red Balau wood cladding in limited areas. The entries on the south side were given enhanced presence by increasing the parapet height and through the addition of a “living wall” feature. The living wall is one of the first of its kind in Vancouver. As it continues to fill out, the vegetation will reveal a horizontal pattern, reminiscent of the Northwest mountain landscape.