With its harbourfront location and breathtaking views, the Vancouver Convention Centre offers one of the most beautiful settings in the world. The addition of the new West Building has tripled the capacity, for a combined total of 466,500 square feet of meeting, exhibition, ballroom, and plenary theatre space.
Flexible
Both the East and West Buildings are designed as a series of modules to offer the highest degree of flexibility. This new combination also allows for holding simultaneous events, each with their own separate access and function space.
Built on the original Pier B-C on Vancouver's Waterfront, the Vancouver Convention Centre first served as the Canada Pavilion for the World's Fair Expo in 1986. Since then, it has grown to become recognized as one of the leading convention centers in the world. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has named Vancouver the best city for business travel, out-ranking 136 world cities for three consecutive years.
Conveniently located downtown, visitors will find more than 13,000 quality hotel rooms within easy walking distance and three connecting hotel properties. The Vancouver International Airport (the second largest on North America’s west coast) is less than 30 minutes away. And getting downtown is as easy as taking a taxi, a limo or riding the Canada Line rapid transit system.
Green
Vancouver sits on the doorstep of nature. Thus the West building was designed with nature in mind, and as a result, it has received LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification. The centre is the first convention centre in the world to earn the highest LEED® rating.
The designers used floor-to-ceiling glass to take advantage of the setting’s natural beauty and maximize natural light. Delegates can enjoy incredible views of the North Shore Mountains, the harbour and Stanley Park from either their function space or on their journey through the building.
Natural design elements are used as much as possible. Local wood and glass are featured throughout. The facility is as green as it gets, incorporating environmentally sustainable features into every inch of the structure.
The West building runs on a seawater heating and cooling system with an on-site water treatment plant. The building utilizes natural ventilation and the latest technology to maximize energy efficiency.
The six-acre (2.4 hectare) living roof collects rainwater to nourish a variety of over 400,000 indigenous plants and grasses growing there. Bees from the four resident beehives help keep these plants flourishing and provide honey for our ‘scratch’ kitchen. Below the centre, a pillared foundation encourages a thriving marine habitat. In addition, beauty is not restricted to views outside. The centre hosts a thematic art program featuring a diverse selection of artwork inside and outside the facility.
Attractions
The nearby mountains, forest and ocean offer a wide range of recreational activities, from golfing and sailing to heli-skiing and mountain biking. And Vancouver’s comfortable climate with mild winters and warm summers makes it a destination of choice. In fact, Condé Nast Traveller magazine has ranked Vancouver the ‘best city in the Americas’ year after year.
The people are friendly, sophisticated and culturally diverse. Visitors can shop ’til they drop, visit a gallery or choose from any number of fine restaurants within Vancouver’s compact downtown core.
With the convention centre and Vancouver as home base, delegates are well-positioned to explore this unique region. Seaplanes, helicopters, ferries and cruise ships sit mere moments away. All of which make it easy to discover attractions like Victoria – British Columbia’s capital – and the scenic Gulf Islands. Take a short drive up the Sea-to-Sky Highway to the world-class resort of Whistler. Sample the award-winning vintages of the Okanagan wine country, or travel the Alaskan coastline and the Rocky Mountains. Any of these experiences could help turn an unforgettable event into an unforgettable adventure.