The Mark, winner of UDI’s Best Urban High Rise Award in 2014, is a groundbreaking mixed-use urban development in Vancouver’s Yaletown, blending sustainability with innovative design. This 43-storey residential tower, built across 12 lots, serves as a gateway to the downtown core, seamlessly integrating urban agriculture, green walls, green roofs, and a high-performance envelope. The project is designed to LEED Gold standards and features movable sunscreens on the East podium, a unique angled podium activating the laneway and street edges, and a 37-space integrated childcare facility.
The building’s design draws inspiration from its urban context, with materials reflecting the adjacent Granville Street Bridge, including graffiti art on concrete walls to demarcate entry points. Public art by Sonny Assu enhances the aesthetic while water features and natural vegetation create a harmonious relationship between public, semi-private, and private spaces. A stepped reflecting pool buffers the daycare area, enhancing both acoustics and natural light, while the overall design fosters a vibrant, sustainable community that connects seamlessly with the surrounding environment.
- Location
- Vancouver, BC
- Size
- 220,000 sq ft
- Client
- Onni Group of Companies
- Completion
- 2010
- Sustainability LEED® Gold design
- DIALOG Services
Architecture
The Mark (centre tower as well as the podium in the foreground) rises out of the Yaletown neighbourhood and makes a statement on the area skyline.
A seven-storey podium runs on either side of the main tower along the Seymour Street side of the building, providing some separation from other towers on that block.
The west and south sides of the building meet in a sharply angled corner, making for an interesting façade and unit configuration on the south-east face of the building.
The Seymour Street side of the building is close to the Granville Street Bridge off-ramp, and the building’s design reflects that proximity.
The podium at The Mark contains a range of different facilities and services, including a fitness room, daycare facility, commercial spaces, amenity spaces, and residential units.
The Mark was the tallest tower in Yaletown when it was completed in 2009, but has since been joined by other similar height; a number of these were also designed by DIALOG.
Artwork at the base of The Mark is inspired by local First Nations imagery, and adds a bright, distinctive flair to the streetscape of the building.
Water features and fountains add playfulness to the street-level interface for The Mark, making for a welcome entryways along the west and south sides of the building.
The west entryway at The Mark is brightly lit in the evening, showing off the First Nations art and allowing passersby a view into the community spaces, gym and foyer.
The lobby at The Mark is well suited to the stature of the building, and creates a positive first impression for both residents and visitors; concierge services are provided.
Residents at The Mark have access to the on-site 10,000 sq ft first-class fitness and wellness facility, which is located on level two of the main building.
The lap pool and hottub are located on the roof of the seven-storey podium, the southern-most portion of The Mark, meaning that the space gets unencumbered sunlight.
Suites on the east side of the building look out over Yaletown towards the end of False Creek and the outlying Vancouver suburbs.
Residents on the west and north sides of The Mark have world-class views over Vancouver’s downtown core and West Vancouver to the North Shore mountains.
The penthouse balcony on the south side of the tower at The Mark has plenty of room for entertaining outdoors, and panoramic views that stretch over the over south end of the city.
The Team
The design team wanted The Mark to integrate into the Yaletown neighbourhood, and worked to tie it to the Granville Street Bridge and English Bay.
Early drawings of The Mark didn’t incorporate other buildings, providing a very clean perspective.
The team added more detail once the initial design for the buildings was approved.
Views of The Mark from Pacific Blvd. showed how it would appear in the neighbourhood context.
This central courtyard and water feature were part of the early design concept, but didn’t make it to construction.
This sketch of the courtyard at The Mark shows the central podium piece and views out onto Pacific Blvd.
Seven stories of rental housing on this side of the project help bring a multitude of tenants to the building and neighbourhood
Sharp, angular balconies on the south side of The Mark define this façade.
This elevation shows the west side of the building without the Granville Bridge offramp.
The concept for this elevation of The Mark carried over to the final build, with only minor changes.
