What's the deal with the mysterious red square on this Burnaby building?
Have you seen the mysterious red square in the sky in this Metro Vancouver city?
If you’ve ever visited Burnaby, the eye-catching element is hard to miss, as it sits atop a 57-storey tower in Metrotown’s Station Square area.
During the day, the square doesn’t light up, but at night, it illuminates the skies of Burnaby with an eerie red glow.
Over the years, the square has sparked a lot of curiosity, with many wondering if it serves some sort of secret purpose. Others have come up with their own hilarious theories.
What is this red glowing room near Metrotown?
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“Everyone in the Station Square apartments [has] to pray to the big red square before bed or they are cursed with bad luck the next day,” one person recently commented in the Vancouver subreddit.
“I believe it has a functional purpose. Buildings very tall tend to have areas with gaps to let airflow through them to help mitigate the sway issues. Without it, there would be more sway to the building. Not sure if this is why this particular building has it but I know that is why some do,” said another.
One person joked that it serves as a “lair” for villains, while another asked if it was possible to “throw a rave in there.”
So, what exactly is the point of the red square? Does it lead to a secret room? Is it a millionaire’s penthouse? Is it used for secret parties for an underground club?
Sadly, it turns out that the red square is just that — a red square.
“While we hate to disappoint fans hoping for a hidden secret portal or rooftop laser show, the hollow red square is purely an iconic design element— this design hollow is a playful nod to Station Square brought to life,” Danielle Steele, a spokesperson for the building’s developer, Beedie Living, told Daily Hive.
Beedie Living/ Facebook
The hollow square was designed by Chris Dikeakos Architects and is illuminated red to “add a unique element to Burnaby’s skyline.” It’s located on the top of a tower named “Station Square Tower 5” at 6080 McKay Avenue.
“We’re thrilled by the curiosity our Station Square towers have sparked! Some of the creative myths and legends we’ve heard about the red square have been so inventive, they’ve given us ideas for future projects,” added Steele.
What other strange design elements have you noticed on buildings around Metro Vancouver? Let us know in the comments.