Architecture & DesignPublic ArtUrbanized

14 landmarks in Vancouver with programmed ever-changing lights (PHOTOS)

Kenneth Chan
Kenneth Chan
|
Aug 12 2023, 12:25 am
14 landmarks in Vancouver with programmed ever-changing lights (PHOTOS)
Lighting of Telus Garden and Pacific Coliseum. (Telus | PNE)

A growing number of major buildings and landmarks in Vancouver feature special outdoor lighting that not only celebrates and accentuates architectural design details, but also commemorates important cultural occasions, events, anniversaries, and awareness campaigns.

Examples include red and white for Canada Day, the rainbow for LGBTQ Pride, blue and yellow in support of Ukraine in its war against Russia, orange for National Indigenous People’s Day,

Some of these landmarks even accept community requests for consideration to change the lights to certain colours on specific dates to honour a cause.

The growing number of lighting installations as a permanent building feature have contributed to civic pride and improved the urban vibrancy of Vancouver’s nighttime landscape.

In all applications, the installations use low-energy LED lights with fully programmable lighting technology that enables a kaleidoscope of colours, patterns, and sequences.

The most prominent of these installations are locally designed, installed, and/or operated by Vancouver-based Eos Lightmedia, specifically BC Place Stadium, Science World, Canada Place, and TELUS Garden.

Here is a roundup of 11 landmarks in Vancouver with permanent programmable lighting installations:

Vancouver International Airport’s control tower

Seen from the ground below or the skies above, the slender concrete base of the air traffic control tower of Vancouver International Airport in Richmond features brilliant programmable lighting.

Light projection from the sidewalk level of Grant McConachie Way shoots upwards to over 300 ft to illuminate the top of the tower.

Special considerations were required for its design, such as a system independent of the airport’s internet system, and precise beam angles and radio frequencies that do not interfere with piloting aircraft and air traffic control communications.

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Rainbow colours for Pride Month on Vancouver International Airport’s aircraft control tower’s lighting system. (Vancouver Airport Authority)

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Orange colour for National Indigenous People’s Day on Vancouver International Airport’s aircraft control tower’s lighting system. (Vancouver Airport Authority)

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Purple colour for Overdose Awareness Day on Vancouver International Airport’s aircraft control tower’s lighting system. (Vancouver Airport Authority)

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Special light on the aircraft control tower of Vancouver International Airport. (BL Lighting)

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Special light on the aircraft control tower of Vancouver International Airport. (BL Lighting)

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Special light on the aircraft control tower of Vancouver International Airport. (BL Lighting)

Pacific Coliseum

The newest addition to Vancouver’s collection of illuminated landmarks is Pacific Coliseum at Hastings Park.

In June 2023, the PNE revealed the Pacific Coliseum’s new nighttime look, following the installation of an exterior lighting system that brilliantly lights up each of the stadium’s 108 exterior panels.

There is a light up schedule, but non-profit organizations and charities are also invited to make their own requests.

The Pacific Coliseum is illuminated nightly from sunset to 11 pm.

Pacific Coliseum

Pacific Coliseum’s lighting system. (PNE)

Pacific Coliseum’s lighting system. (PNE)

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Pacific Coliseum’s lighting system. (PNE)

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Pacific Coliseum’s lighting system. (PNE)

Rogers Arena

The home of the NHL Vancouver Canucks features programmable lighting as well, with the exterior of Rogers Arena illuminated to acknowledge causes and charitable initiatives.

Requests can also be made by organizations to have Rogers Arena lit up in a specific colour.

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Rogers Arena’s exterior lighting. (Vancouver Canucks)

Harbour Centre

The Lookout at Harbour Centre tower saw a major upgrade of its lighting system about six years ago. It is similarly lit up for holidays, events, charitable causes, and other occasions. Special requests can be made by contacting their general hotline.

This is Vancouver’s highest programmable lighting installation, with The Lookout located about 550 ft above street level.

Changing colours wash the top, underside, and spire of the restaurant, and LED nodes highlight and emphasize the outer circumferences of the observation deck level.

 

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Canada Place

The five landmark sails of Canada Place, which form the roof of the Vancouver Convention Centre’s East Building’s exhibition halls, are illuminated nightly from dusk to dawn.

Managed by the Port of Vancouver, the installation — known as the Sails of Light — are viewable on both sides of the pier.

The port authority accepts special lighting requests for consideration from non-profit and charitable organizations.

Canada Place Sails of Light (John Lau/Daily Hive)

Vancouver Olympic Cauldron

Vancouver Convention Centre’s West Building’s district lighting — large markers/posts and the Vancouver Olympic Cauldron at Jack Poole Plaza — are similarly illuminated to commemorate special events, causes, and awareness campaigns.

Special lighting requests can also be made.

Separately, for a fee, events held at the convention centre can also request for the reignition of the gas flame of the Olympic Cauldron.

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Vancouver Olympic Cauldron area lighting. (Vancouver Convention Centre)

vancouver olympic cauldron lighting

Vancouver Olympic Cauldron area lighting. (Vancouver Convention Centre)

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Vancouver Olympic Cauldron area lighting. (Vancouver Convention Centre)

vancouver olympic cauldron lighting

Vancouver Olympic Cauldron area lighting. (Vancouver Convention Centre)

Vancouver City Hall

Vancouver City Hall’s heritage building features a programmable lighting system to similarly recognize important events and cultural occasions.

These programmable LED lights were first installed just in time for the 2010 Olympics, replacing a previous aging lighting system.

There is a schedule of planned lightings. Special requests can be made by eligible groups for eligible reasons.

Burrard Street Bridge

Similar to Vancouver City Hall, special lighting on the Burrard Street Bridge highlights the Art Deco-style architectural features of the Burrard Street Bridge.

As part of the 2017-completed project of reconfiguring the bridge deck to accommodate permanent bike lanes, install new concrete railings and suicide-prevention barriers, and other upgrades, new programmable LED lighting was installed to illuminate the bridge’s overhead truss and the lamps along the sidewalk.

It follows the same schedule of planned lightings as City Hall, including special requests.

Bloedel Conservatory

Located at the very top of Queen Elizabeth Park at Little Mountain, the highest geographical point within Vancouver, the Bloedel Conservatory and its nighttime lights can be seen from some perspectives, where it is not obscured by the park’s tree canopy.

In 2019, the dome’s aging lighting system was upgraded to an energy-efficient LED system with colour-changing programming capabilities for events and occasions. The new system reduced the dome’s lighting energy use by 60% without changing the hours of operation.

Special requests can be made for the colour of the lighting.

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Bloedel Conservatory at Queen Elizabeth Park. (E.B. Horsman & Son)

Bentall Centre

Changing-colour programmable LED lights were recently installed on the crowns of the Bentall One and Bentall Two office towers, as part of property owner Hudson Pacific Properties’ multi-faceted strategy of revitalizing the Bentall Centre complex.

This is the first time the towers have seen decorative lighting installed since its temporary lights during Expo ’86.

The lights are illuminated to commemorate celebrations, memorials, sporting events, and seasons.

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Bentall Centre crown lighting. (Jorge Posada/Talentosa Productions)

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Bentall Centre crown lighting. (Jorge Posada/Talentosa Productions)

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Bentall Centre crown lighting. (Jorge Posada/Talentosa Productions)

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Bentall Centre crown lighting. (Jorge Posada/Talentosa Productions)

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Bentall Centre crown lighting. (Jorge Posada/Talentosa Productions)

Telus Garden

The underside of the protruding boxes of the Telus Garden office tower that are cantilevered high above the sidewalks of Seymour Street, West Georgia Street, and Richards Street are animated with programmable LED panels. They recently underwent repairs to replace burnt-out panels.

As well, the office tower’s west facade between the 16th and 18th floors features a projection screen.

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Telus Garden lighting (Telus)

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Telus Garden lighting honouring victims of a terrorist attack in France. (Daily Hive)

Telus Garden lighting (Karm Sumal/Daily Hive)

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Telus Garden lighting (Eos Lightmedia)

BC Place Stadium

Over a decade after it was first built, the Northern Lights display of BC Place Stadium has become a beloved part of downtown Vancouver’s nighttime skyline views, providing the city with a very distinctive visual landmark.

Programmable LED lights are contained within 1,700 panels that enclose the stadium perimeter, stacked four rows high.

This perimeter lighting system is used to enhance nighttime events held within the stadium and also to commemorate cultural occasions, holidays, seasons, and awareness campaigns.

The Northern Lights are lit from 6 am to sunrise, and from sunset to 11 pm on most nights.

Additionally, there are also programmable lights that illuminate the stadium’s white fabric roof.

Special requests can be made for the lighting sequence.

Unfortunately, the visibility of the stadium and its lighting display from False Creek will be almost entirely obscured in the future by tower developments in Northeast False Creek.

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BC Place Stadium’s Northern Lights display (Ted McGrath/Flickr)

bc place stadium northern lights display

BC Place Stadium’s Northern Lights display (Pavco)

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BC Place Stadium’s New Year’s Eve light display in the early morning hours of January 1, 2022. (@explorewithmekatieb/Instagram)

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BC Place Stadium’s Northern Lights display (Pavco)

BC Place Stadium’s Northern Lights display. (Clayton Perry Photography)

BC Place Lunar New Year

BC Place Stadium’s Northern Lights display and roof lights. (Pavco)

Science World

Science World has received quite the glow-up with an all-new lighting system for its landmark dome. A half-year upgrade project concluded in early August 2023 with the first lighting of the dome in a year.

There are now 651 lights, about three times as many as before. And this includes the introduction of inward-facing lights to reflect off the shiny steel dome. It uses new state-of-the-art technology that greatly enhances its programming capabilities.

There is a longstanding tradition of lighting up the dome to commemorate holidays, special occasions, awareness campaigns, and other events. Special requests can be made.

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Launch of Science World’s new dome lights on August 10, 2023. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

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Launch of Science World’s new dome lights on August 10, 2023. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

science world new lighting august 2023

Launch of Science World’s new dome lights on August 10, 2023. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

SkyTrain Expo Line in Burnaby

The City of Burnaby is nearing the full completion of its installation of a five-km-long continuous span of programmable LED lighting on the underside of SkyTrain Expo Line’s elevated guideway between Patterson Station and Edmonds Station. The first segment within the Metrotown area was completed in late 2021.

It enables thematic lighting for seasons, holidays, events, and other occasions.

Similar programmable lighting installations for SkyTrain’s elevated guideway in Coquitlam and Richmond, but the Burnaby project for the Expo Line carries more features and is the most extensive. It also doubles as a placemaking project to improve visibility on the BC Parkway walking and cycling pathway, which follows the Expo Line route.

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New permanent programmable lighting installed on the SkyTrain Expo Line guideway near Metrotown Station. (City of Burnaby)

burnaby skytrain expo line metrotown accent lighting

New permanent programmable lighting installed on the SkyTrain Expo Line guideway near Metrotown Station. (City of Burnaby)

burnaby skytrain expo line metrotown accent lighting

New permanent programmable lighting installed on the SkyTrain Expo Line guideway near Metrotown Station. (City of Burnaby)

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