At 355 Burrard Street in downtown Vancouver, the Marine Building is a 1930 Art Deco skyscraper with a nautical theme worked into its stonework, brass and lobby details. Look for carved sea creatures and marine plants, then take in the brass elevators and the lobby’s wood inlays, made with 12 varieties of British Columbia hardwood. The building once held the title of tallest in the British Empire. It remains an absorbing stop for architecture and design, though access is limited by its role as an office building.
A skyscraper shaped by the sea
The Marine Building opened in 1930, when Vancouver’s importance as a commercial port was growing after the Panama Canal opened. Entrepreneur Joe Hobbs conceived it as a home for the Vancouver Merchants’ Exchange. Its design by John McCarter and George Nairne drew on the city’s maritime identity, with a tiered profile intended to suggest a crag rising from the sea.
The building was the tallest in Vancouver when it opened and held that distinction until 1939, when Hotel Vancouver surpassed it in height. It was also once the tallest building in the British Empire. Its exterior, with its stepped upper levels, is sometimes likened to a tiered cake; the more lasting impression is the detail threaded through the architecture.
Nautical details inside and out
Marine imagery appears in carved stonework and metalwork across the building. Look for fish, seahorses, crabs, turtles, sea snails and sea plants, as well as a figure of King Neptune. The entrance doors and brass fixtures continue the maritime theme inside.
In the lobby, wood inlays use 12 varieties of local British Columbia hardwood. Brass elevators add to the period interior, while the east-wall clock replaces ordinary numerals with the 12 signs of the zodiac. These details reward a slow look: take time to scan the walls, doors and elevator surrounds rather than focusing only on the grand entrance.
Access and what to look for
The Marine Building is a working office property, so a visit is centred on the areas visitors can access during business hours. On a weekday, the elevator provides access to the second floor, where you can look back across the building’s interior. Shops are located in the basement, although its restrooms are not ordinarily open for public use; ask a shop owner if you need access.
The lobby is decorated for Christmas, adding seasonal details to the historic interior. The building has also appeared as the Daily Planet headquarters in the television series Smallville and in Fantastic Four films. If you recognize the exterior from screen, the lobby’s carvings and brasswork show how much of its character is built into the details.
Preguntas frecuentes
When can you visit the Marine Building?
It is an office building, and visitor access is available on weekdays before 5 pm. It is closed to visitors on weekends.
What should you see inside the Marine Building?
Look for the brass elevators, the lobby’s wood inlays, the zodiac clock and carved nautical motifs, including sea creatures and plants.
Can you go to the second floor?
Yes. Take the elevator to the second floor for another view of the interior.
Are there public restrooms in the Marine Building?
Basement restrooms are not open to the public by default. Ask a shop owner about access.
