Extraordinary new condo towers aim to give Vancouver the 'Wow!' factor

A slew of innovative new condo towers are being proposed for Vancouver, as the city aims to take its arguably boring architecture to the next level.

Architect James Cheng is amongthose working ona signature buildingfor1445-1455 West Georgia St.a50-storeytower with an 80-foot glass jewel at the base, andwalls that resemble the Seattle Library.

"We're saying, 'Can a building give back in a different way to the city, rather than just be another tower?'"

Chengwas inspired by repairs to the Washington Monument, which took on a whole new look when it was covered in scaffolding and then lit up.

Cheng's towerwill also be lit,whether or not anyone is home.

Along the street, at 1575West Georgia,local architect Gregory Henriquez is proposinga mixture of a traditional condo tower with origami balconies.

In between, at1500 West Georgia,another dramatic building has been proposed by German architect Ole Scheeren, who takes hisinspiration from the gameJenga.

Meanwhile, a block away at1550 Alberni St.is a Westbank project by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, quite unlike anything Vancouver has seen before, swooping up into the sky with open gardens and sleek interiors.

Twisting tower turned tide

Vancouver's move into adventurousarchitecture arguably began back in 2013, whenDanish architectBjarke Ingelsrevealed his design fortwisting towerVancouver House, which is now under construction.

These latest projects may just be beginning to make their way through the city's approval system, but it's a direction backed byBrian Jackson, Vancouver's planning and development manager.

"It is time that we have a few buildings along significant corridors to gateway locations that cause people to just stop and say, 'Wow! That is extraordinary architecture,'"saidJackson.

If approved, construction on these new condo towerscould begin in just over a year.