Is this the new Sears building?

They gotta go for the classic style like the old Bay building on Granville. So much more class and character went into buildings back then. These days the uber-liberal contemporary architects with no eye for aesthetics. They’re like musicians without ears. Not sure who’s designing 80% of the buildings in Vancouver, but our city has got to turn around this deep seeded culture of hideous architecture. Who the fuck thought the Shangri-la would look good as a giant cargo pant leg? There are too many examples to list here, but suffice to say this city is absolutely dying for a serious change. No more flaky designs, please.

 Hey white trash, if you can’t afford to live in one of our nice sleek buildings then f@#$ off! I own in Shangri La, I guess you don’t understand progress and innovative architecture. Go live in Sunshine Coast with the rest of your trashy hobo BC badly dressed dirty looking types, and leave the city to Urban lovers.

How do morons like Urbanist manage to earn enough money to buy in Shangri-la? Serious question.

Wow, sensitive about your tower of douche much? It is not an architectural gem, it is just tall. If you want to see a gem of a condo look no further than Woodwards. You just bought in a 70 story fish bowl. 

I prefer this building.

Ha ha Hey Urbanist, thats a pretty big word for someone with such a white trash vocab. Before you start slinging insults at everyone around you, you should think about what you’re saying. Foreign land ownership is ruining this city. The Shangri La is everything that is wrong with this city. Take a few trips to real metropolitan cities and you’ll understand how awful the architecture is here. 

“Wow, sensitive about your tower of douche much?”

very well put! lol

I agree 100%, so boring.  One would think they would at least have some video screens and lighting effects along the Robson / Granville sides.

For reference, the Nordstrom in Salt Lake City has an entire wall the lights up with coloured panels.

If that is what they get in Salt Lake City, you would think something special would be going in the most prominent corner of our primary entertainment and commercial district…

The only up sides is the expansion of Pacific Centre and direct entrance to VCC station.  Hopefully that includes new staircases and escalators on the south side of the station…which would make the most sense (but I am not holding my breath) 

this building is a huge disappointment. Keeping the old toilet looks better….it is a much bolder design that we need to have in a big city…it just needs frequent power washing.Replacing the white walls with glass would be good too, but the shape of the old building is better than this propiosal.

Not a huge fan of this at all. Cadillac Fairview should seek fresh ideas from the general public in an open competition to solicit free ideas and designs. Something like the re:think competitions the City of Vancouver has been organizing of late. Personally I think something amazing and publicly accessible needs to be created on the rooftop. Maybe an open air club, or pub. Maybe something like the volleyball courts at Victoria’s Strathcona Hotel…Either way, here’s an amazing opportunity to do something amazing at this important intersection and it’s being opened up with more boring glass, more straight lines and symmetry. C’mon Vancouver and Cad. Fairview, let’s do something a little more interesting here.  

@Urbanist:disqus, please stop making wealthy people look like idiotic, insecure douchebags. I imagine you’re probably so deep in your own insecurities that you’re unaware of how the rest of the world perceives you, and the people you get along with.

There is no way you can tell from DATRUTE’s comment whether or not he is a hippy; in fact, I wouldn’t be shocked from comparing your comments if he was wealthier and more intelligent than you’ll ever be. Just because you’re stuck in the “it’s more expensive, and shinier, and newer, therefore it MUST be better” mentality, doesn’t mean you can be a dick to other people who aren’t so shallow minded as you are.

I personally like the Shangri-La’s appearance, but I could definitely see why some would consider it to be overly gaudy and ostentatious. Architecture is so subjective; I don’t agree with DATRUTE (I like open-minded ideas that deviate from strict canons of traditional fields), but your comment makes me want to jump off my balcony. I own in the downtown core and I’m surrounded by you morons! In your own words, go live in Surrey with the rest of your trashy brand whore badly dressed douchebag looking types, and leave the city to urban lovers who hate said douchebags.

Shangri-la has some redeeming features, but James Cheng is boring overall. He really needs to develop his ideas a lot more than these typical rectilinear glass curtain walls if he is to move beyond designing ‘background’ buildings. The only thing that makes Shangri-la distinct is its height.

Cesar Pelli did the original master plan for Pacific Centre (think Petronas twin towers in KL, Malaysia). He should at least be consulted about any redevelopment.

Because many buyers see the kitchen as the heart of the home, even a few basic improvements to this room can really pay off. Consider including energy efficient appliances, stainless steel, new countertops, a new sink, a coat of paint and new flooring.