Comments on: Brutalist Vancouver building that hasn’t dated

By: Vancouver 1966: The Erickson/Massey proposal for block 61 and the Downtown core « Voony's Blog

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 05:07:56 +0000

[…] architect: he has designed the 805 Broadway Medical Dental Centre known as thethe Frank Stanzl building Share this:EmailDiggTwitterPrintLike this:LikeBe the first to like this. Posted by Voony Filed […]

By: LB

LB — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 18:18:03 +0000

@Luke That is so true, especially in Vancouver.
@ everyone – I have added more photos of the stairwells and bathrooms, courtesy of my friend Kate. Including some 70s graphics.

By: Luke

Luke — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 12:21:44 +0000

I love the interior! its nice to see a solid example where the 70’s futurism was preserved, especially in the graphic details, its a shame to see so many modernist buildings where the insides have been stripped and recreated in beige/grey corporate blandness.

By: Jamez

Jamez — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 04:45:12 +0000

This building reminds me of another example of great brutalist bauhaus architecture – The Abbey Church of St. John the Baptist in Collegeville, MN. It too has the linear impressions in the concrete leftover from the wooden lathe forms. It also has the mountainous concrete form that communicates a solid permanency. Having gone to college there, I had the privilege of worhipping in the space often and developing a sense deep down of its rootedness and plainness and how it was people that stood out in the space bringing it color and life…

By: LB

LB — Tue, 29 May 2012 19:48:11 +0000

In reply to Glissando Remmy. Remmy, that gave me a toothache! And I'm talking about the puns here. :--)

By: Glissando Remmy

Glissando Remmy — Tue, 29 May 2012 19:45:38 +0000

I have mixed “fillings” about this building. On one hand, I like the erect Harmonica look, on the other hand I have to confess … I lost my “nerve” to a Periodontal Dentist in there. She was beautiful, I was under a freezing spell. Brutal!

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 29 May 2012 18:40:17 +0000

I spent a lot of years working in that building “on the inside” per se. Worked for Stanzl/805 for close to 10 years putting myself thru high school and engineering. Stanzl still holds an interest in the building. The whole thing was built by European craftsman right down to the bench in the lobby. Yes, like the odd leak, the design has a few “quirks” but overall a very unique design.

Here’s a little known tidbit – there were preparations in the structure and foundation to have a mini “twin” tower on top of the wing where the bank is. Of course, the plans were never followed through.

Brings back some fond memories.

Thanks,

Paul

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Mon, 28 May 2012 17:18:39 +0000

Your photos look pretty good to me, and really point out the interesting detail. I think we tend to overlook this kind of detail, because we don’t look for it in modern buildings.
Douglas Fir handrails, for goodness sakes…

By: LB

LB — Mon, 28 May 2012 17:02:22 +0000

In reply to KFA Alder. I think that small amount of leakage is old, no? No one in the building has ever mentioned leakage to me. There are some water stains in the office I go to, but they've been there for decades and those problems were solved early on. Concrete in a rainy climate definitely faces problems, but then so do most building materials in this climate. I hope we avoid brick, though, a material that doesn't reference our surroundings, looks like Toronto or NYC and appears ridiculous at skyscraper height.

By: Steve

Steve — Mon, 28 May 2012 17:01:45 +0000

Great post about a beautiful building — thanks for your detailed description. Here are a few biographical details about the architect from UBC’s Thunderbird Stadium page:
“One of the most intriguing aspects of the stadium is its architect. Award-winning Yugoslavian-born, Vladimir Plavsic is the story behind the stadium’s look. A brilliant yet recalcitrant architectural student at UBC, it wasn’t long before he became responsible for many landmarks in Vancouver and around the world. He was a ‘mover and shaker’ in Vancouver and beyond, could speak five different languages, was a trumpet virtuoso who once played in Stan Kenton’s band, a world champion swimmer and water polo player, and a renowned sailor who won Canada’s first international racing trophies.”