Jameson House Chosen as Featured Building
15 June 2013 - Featured Building
You must be a CTBUH Member to view this resource.
The current legal building name.
CTBUH collects data on two major types of tall structures: 'Buildings' and 'Telecommunications / Observation Towers.' A 'Building' is a structure where at least 50% of the height is occupied by usable floor area. A 'Telecommunications / Observation Tower' is a structure where less than 50% of the structure's height is occupied by usable floor area. Only 'Buildings' are eligible for the CTBUH 'Tallest Buildings' lists.
The CTBUH follows the United Nations's definition of Country, and thus uses the lists and codes established by that organization.
The CTBUH follows the United Nations's definition of City, and thus uses the lists and codes established by that organization.
A single-function tall building is defined as one where 85% or more of its usable floor area is dedicated to a single usage. Thus a building with 90% office floor area would be said to be an "office" building, irrespective of other minor functions it may also contain.
A mixed-use tall building contains two or more functions (or uses), where each of the functions occupy a significant proportion of the tower's total space. Support areas such as car parks and mechanical plant space do not constitute mixed-use functions. Functions are denoted on CTBUH "Tallest Building" lists in descending order, e.g., "hotel/office" indicates hotel function above office function.
Steel
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from steel. Note that a building of steel construction with a floor system of concrete planks or concrete slab on top of steel beams is still considered a “steel” structure as the concrete elements are not acting as the primary structure.
Reinforced Concrete
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from concrete which has been cast in place and utilizes steel reinforcement bars.
Precast Concrete
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning system are constructed from steel reinforced concrete which has been precast as individual components and assembled together on-site.
Mixed-Structure
Utilizes distinct systems (e.g. steel, concrete, timber), one on top of the other. For example, a steel/concrete indicates a steel structural system located on top of a concrete structural system, with the opposite true of concrete/steel.
Composite
A combination of materials (e.g. steel, concrete, timber) are used together in the main structural elements. Examples include buildings which utilize: steel columns with a floor system of reinforced concrete beams; a steel frame system with a concrete core; concrete-encased steel columns; concrete-filled steel tubes; etc. Where known, the CTBUH database breaks out the materials used in a composite building’s core, columns, and floor spanning separately.
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the architectural top of the building, including spires, but not including antennae, signage, flag poles or other functional-technical equipment. This measurement is the most widely utilized and is employed to define the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) rankings of the "World's Tallest Buildings."
The number of floors above ground should include the ground floor level and be the number of main floors above ground, including any significant mezzanine floors and major mechanical plant floors. Mechanical mezzanines should not be included if they have a significantly smaller floor area than the major floors below. Similarly, mechanical penthouses or plant rooms protruding above the general roof area should not be counted. Note: CTBUH floor counts may differ from published accounts, as it is common in some regions of the world for certain floor levels not to be included (e.g., the level 4, 14, 24, etc. in Hong Kong).
The number of floors below ground should include all major floors located below the ground floor level.
Number of Apartments refers to the total number of residential units (including both rental units and condominiums) contained within a particular building.
Number of Parking Spaces refers to the total number of car parking spaces contained within a particular building.
Number of Elevators refers to the total number of elevator cars (not shafts) contained within a particular building (including public, private and freight elevators).
Tower GFA refers to the total gross floor area within the tower footprint, not including adjoining podiums, connected buildings or other towers within the development.
Proposed
Construction Start
Completed
Quantity Surveyor
You must be a CTBUH Member to view this resource.
Landscape
Quantity Surveyor
2012 CTBUH Awards
15 June 2013 - Featured Building
Situated adjacent to two historic buildings, the new Jameson House development was designed with a consideration for rehabilitating and incorporating the existing structures, as well as creating a sustainable tower to house both residential and office programs. The Vancouver locale offered opportunities for strong viewing corridors as well as passive environmental solutions. The final form of the building was derived from complex solar, wind, and sight line studies, and allows for a wide array of outdoor planted areas.
The first two stories of the structure correspond to the adjacent 1920s Art Deco buildings—the Ceperley Rounsfell Building and the Royal Building—and the scale of the pedestrian street level. The original buildings, which had fallen into disrepair, were restored and incorporated into the ground floor plan of the new tower development. The historical section of the podium houses new retail, while the new development creates entrances for the office and residential areas in the tower.
Above the two-story podium is a landscaped public park for the building occupants, extending over the renovated roof of the neighboring Ceperley Rounsfell Building. Eight levels of offices extend above in a sleek rectilinear glazed cube, the top level of which corresponds to the cornice height of the nearest building located at the corner. This volume contrasts with the rest of the tower, which houses the residential apartments.
Twenty-six stories of residences create the main distinctive form of the building, delineating four curving bays which house living spaces and terraces. These bays step back to provide shade and allow for views of the nearby Coast Mountain range. The two penthouse units have their own rooftop terraces, which are planted green spaces.
Though the tower was developed as a modern addition to the Vancouver urban fabric, it was designed with great care to integrate with its historic setting and engage its users from all areas: the street level, public gardens, and private terraces. The formal approach for the structure was guided entirely by directional wind profile and solar exposure studies. Placing primary importance on climactic factors in creating the form of the tower created a more sustainable approach for the overall building while also providing a striking addition to the Vancouver skyline.
The design approach for the building was an integrated one, involving the architects, city officials, and structural and environmental engineers from the outset to provide a dense, mixed-use building with sustainable features. After working with the city, the planners were able to significantly increase the density of the development by including several uses; this allows the building to be used 24 hours a day, furthering its sustainability and flexibility.
Many features of the building contribute to its passive and energy-saving goals. A main attribute, the mechanized valet parking system, reduced the number of needed parking levels and excavation depth, as well as the need for additional lighting and ventilation. The form of the building reduces thermal loads by providing shading and allows opportunities for passive ventilation, as well as promotes daylighting. Lastly, the rooftop terraces and planted garden areas provide green space to the building occupants, and are irrigated with water from a rainwater harvesting system to reduce demand on the water supply.
2012 CTBUH Awards
Subscribe below to receive periodic updates from CTBUH on the latest Tall Building and Urban news and CTBUH initiatives, including our monthly newsletter. Fields with a red asterisk (*) next to them are required.
View our privacy policy