ARCHITECTURAL FOCUS
City and public life
The Butterfly extends its impact beyond its residents through investments in public space, active transportation, community amenities, and urban infrastructure. Public courtyards and gardens create new opportunities for gathering and interaction at street level, while the revitalized church courtyard transforms a previously inaccessible space into a welcoming public destination complete with landscaping, seating, a café, and universal accessibility.
The tower’ s base is carefully shaped to expand the public realm, creating landscaped open space that strengthens the relationship between Burrard Street, the West End, and First Baptist Church. A transparent galleria links the church and tower while providing access to community programs and informal gathering spaces, helping to animate the site throughout the day.
The project also supports sustainable mobility through 465 bicycle parking stalls, publicly accessible car-share vehicles, and resident bike- and vehiclesharing programs. By combining housing, community infrastructure, heritage preservation, and an enhanced public realm on one of Vancouver’ s most prominent sites, The Butterfly contributes as much to the life of the city as it does to its skyline.
Environmental Impact + Climate Resiliency
From envelope to energy systems, the complex’ s commitment to environmental performance is deeply embedded. Targeting LEED Gold standards, the project reduces operational carbon by 68 %( up to 85 % when leveraging renewable energy from the onsite district energy plant), energy use by 45 %, and energy costs by 25 %— surpassing City of Vancouver requirements for tall buildings and large sites. A water management strategy reduces potable water use by 50 % and domestic water use by 35 %, while promoting long-term resource conservation.
The tower’ s curved massing optimizes views and daylight while minimizing lateral load and urban shadow impact. A high-performance R-15 precast envelope, paired with moderate glazing ratios and four-pipe fan coil systems, supports year-round comfort with reduced demand on mechanical systems. Daylighting, natural ventilation, thermal comfort and integral shading strategies are embedded across all building zones— from the tower’ s breezeways to the church’ s reoriented courtyards.
Technical sheet Name: The Butterfly + First Baptist Church Complex Certifications pursued: LEED Gold
Key Feature: A mixed-use development combining a 57-storey residential tower, affordable rental housing, community services, and the restoration and expansion of a historic church.
Project size: 605,000 square feet Total Floors: 57 Overall height: 556 feet Photo credit: Ema Peter
www. reveryarchitecture. com
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