| Sun Tower | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Interactive map of the Sun Tower area | |
| Former names | World Building |
| General information | |
| Type | Commercial, offices |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts |
| Location | 128 West Pender Street Vancouver,British Columbia |
| Coordinates | 49°16′52″N123°06′30″W / 49.2810°N 123.1084°W /49.2810; -123.1084 |
| Construction started | 1911 |
| Completed | 1912 |
| Height | |
| Roof | 82.34 m (270.1 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor area | 6,357 m2 (68,430 sq ft) |
| Lifts/elevators | 3 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | William Tuff Whiteway |
| References | |
| [1][2][3] | |
TheSun Tower is a 17storey 82 m (269 ft)Beaux-Arts building at 128 West Pender Street inVancouver,British Columbia. It was known for its faux-patina steel dome painted to imitate copper cladding. In early February 2021 a newly finished roof clad in real penny-coloured copper tiles was revealed. The new roof was a part of restoration work that began on the heritage building in 2018.[4] Nine nudemuses, the "nine maidens" supporting thecornice line can be seen. The terracotta for this building, including the ladies, was made inTamworth,Staffordshire, England by Gibbs and Canning Limited.
The Sun Tower was commissioned byL. D. Taylor to house his newspaper,The Vancouver World. The intention was that the building would be visible throughout theWorld's circulation area as the tallest building in the city.John Coughland and Sons of Vancouver had 1,250 tons of steel fabricated for construction.
When it was completed in 1912, it was called the World Building and was thetallest building in Vancouver at 82 m (269 ft), surpassing the previous record-holder, theDominion Building located just around the corner. (According to theheritage plaque, upon completion it was also the tallest in theBritish Empire.) For one year, it was thetallest building in Canada, untilToronto's 85 metreCanadian Pacific Building opened in 1913.
In 1918, droves of Vancouverites turned out to watch asHarry Gardiner, the "Human Fly", scaled the outside of the building.[5] WhenThe Vancouver Sun bought the building in 1937, it was renamed. AlthoughThe Sun newspaper has long since relocated, first to South Granville then toGranville Square, the building has retained its name.
Formerly 100 West Pender St, theCity of Vancouver renumbered the Sun Tower's street address to 128 West Pender in 2011 in accordance with its strict street numbering bylaw when a new building was constructed on the vacant lot at the southwest corner of West Pender and Abbott Streets. It is by theStadium-Chinatown StationSkyTrain.
The Sun Tower was designed by architectWilliam Tuff Whiteway, who also designed the originalWoodward's building nearby. The building takes the form of an eight-storey, L-shaped block, surmounted by a nine-storey hexagonal-section tower. The tower is capped by aBeaux-Arts dome and cupola. The structure of the tower is steel, which is dominantly clad in a combination ofterracotta tiles and rusticated brickwork. The dome itself, although painted to resemble patinated copper, is steel.
The exterior is adorned with nine terracottacaryatids supporting the cornice, sculpted byCharles Marega.[6] These apparently caused a minor scandal among some of Vancouver's citizenry at the building's opening, as the female figures are depicted partially clothed, with naked breasts, and were considered to be adopting "sensuous" poses.[7] Further decorative detailing is provided by carved stone sills under all windows, manufactured from local volcanicandesite fromHaddington Island.[8] Haddington Island andesite is also used for some of the decorative carvings near the top of the tower, that feature animal skulls surrounded by garlands of fruit and flowers.
It was announced on March 19, 2008, that the Sun Tower had been sold to new owners on March 17. The purchase price was not announced, but the building had a 2008 assessed value ofCA$6.16 million. The new owners promised to restore the heritage building.[9]
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The exterior of the Sun Tower is used inThe CW'ssuperherotelevision seriesSmallville to depict theWatchtower, the operational headquarter ofDC Comics'Justice League. In the show, the tower is digitally modified to be aclock tower with sixturret clocks on its dome and is enhanced to look taller, being the highest building inMetropolis in certain shots. The exterior was also used as a filming location forThe Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2.