The Butterfly tower: Vancouver's new third tallest building (PHOTOS)

Construction progress on The Butterfly tower in downtown Vancouver, as of July 3, 2023. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

There is now a new urban peak in Vancouver.

The third tallest building within the city is now The Butterfly tower, which has reached its uppermost levels in its construction progress.

Its height is 587 ft, containing 57 storeys, eclipsing the title previously held by the nearby 550-ft-tall One Burrard Place tower, which became Vancouver’s third tallest building in 2021 when it surpassed Paradox Hotel Vancouver (former Trump tower).

And as its location on Nelson Street near Burrard Street is at the highest point of the downtown Vancouver peninsula, about 120 ft above sea level, the tower gains extra visual height in the skyline from afar.

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The Butterfly is amongst the first new high-rise towers in Vancouver’s new wave of towers featuring a more architecturally unique design. It is one of the final designs heavily influenced by the late architect Bing Thom, whose architectural firm is now known as Revery Architecture.

the butterfly vancouver tower westbank construction july 2023

Construction progress on The Butterfly tower in downtown Vancouver, as of July 3, 2023. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

As well, The Butterfly is also the first of over a dozen new taller towers in the vicinity of Thurlow Street near Nelson Street, in accordance with the City’s West End Plan.

The overall form of the tower takes inspiration from the church pipe organs of the adjacent historic First Baptist Church, and the facade comprised of a system of insulated glass fibre reinforced concrete panels creates a pattern of “waving clouds.”

Installation of the facade panels has so far progressed to the upper sections of the tower, rising up from the parabolic, jewel-like sculpted base.

Construction progress on The Butterfly tower in downtown Vancouver, as of July 3, 2023. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

The tower contains about 330 upscale condominium homes and boasts a high degree of amenities, such as a 50-metre length swimming pool in a glass-enclosed space on the rooftop of the base podium.

Immediately to the south, as part of The Butterfly project, a six-storey social housing building with 61 units is also in an advanced stage of construction that’s nearing completion.

Developed by Westbank, The Butterfly is providing one of Vancouver’s largest community amenity contribution (CACs) public benefit packages, as a condition of the project’s rezoning — worth roughly $100 million. This accounts for the social housing component, the in-kind value of $22 million for the seismic upgrade, renovation, and expansion of the 1911-built heritage church, and a $65 million cash contribution to the municipal government to support new and improved West End public amenities.

The main condominium tower and social housing building are built on the church’s rear parking lot. The congregation partnered with Westbank as a strategy to fund necessary improvements to its aging facilities.

Construction progress on The Butterfly tower in downtown Vancouver, as of July 3, 2023. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Both new residential buildings are expected to reach completion later in 2023. Construction, beginning with site excavation, first began in late 2018.

According to a recent update by church leadership to its members, there is a slight delay in the completion and occupancy-readiness of the restored and expanded church due to unanticipated structural issues with the sanctuary discovered during construction in 2021. This took a significant amount of time to fix, and there have also been other, smaller issues throughout the renovation process. The church is expected to reopen in late 2023 or early 2024.

The base of the condominium tower and the heritage church’s western stone wall will be connected by an airy glass-covered indoor galleria, which forms a major part of the expanded church.

Construction progress on The Butterfly tower in downtown Vancouver, as of July 3, 2023. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

first baptist church vancouver renovation april 2023

April 2023 renovation progress on the heritage First Baptist Church as part of The Butterfly tower construction project. (First Baptist Church)

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April 2023 renovation progress on the heritage First Baptist Church as part of The Butterfly tower construction project. (First Baptist Church)

Artistic rendering of the interior of the renovated sanctuary of First Baptist Church, as part of The Butterfly project. (Revery Architecture)

Artistic rendering of the new indoor galleria of First Baptist Church, as part of The Butterfly project. (Revery Architecture)

Artistic rendering of The Butterfly at 1019 Nelson Street, Vancouver. (Revery Architecture/Westbank)

998 Thurlow Street Vancouver West End Rentals

Future condition of Washington Court at 998 Thurlow Street, Vancouver, surrounded by tall towers. (Stantec Architecture/Lucky ZA Investments)

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