Every summer, West Coast Modern Week brings together architects, historians, designers, and curious locals to celebrate the region’s remarkable modernist legacy. Hosted by the West Vancouver Art Museum, the week features exhibitions, lectures, open houses, and — most beloved of all — the guided walking tours that bring architectural history to life at street level.
As part of this annual celebration, North Shore Heritage contributes its deep local knowledge through tours that reveal the stories behind the buildings we pass every day. This year’s tour, Municipal Modern, explores how West Vancouver’s civic identity was shaped in the mid‑20th century by a new generation of architects.
In the 1960s, Toby, Russell & Buckwell introduced a bold civic expression for a municipality ready to define itself. Their Municipal Hall (1964), with its broad overhangs, sheltered walkways, and pavilion‑like massing, set a confident new tone for public architecture. Just steps away, their 1967 Firehall continued this shift — low‑slung, rectilinear, and unmistakably modern.
West Vancouver Municipal Hall (1964) was designed by Toby, Russell & Buckwell.
The tour also highlights the work of W.G. Patrick, one of the most quietly influential designers of West Vancouver’s residential landscape. Patrick belonged to a generation of architects energized by new construction technologies and the possibilities of concrete. His towers — sculptural, expressive, and often crowned with inventive penthouse forms — reflect an architect fascinated by how buildings meet the sky and how people live in vertical communities. His work helped define Ambleside’s evolving skyline during a period of optimism and growth.
The Westshore Building, located at 650 16th, was designed by W.G. Patrick
These structures aren’t just landmarks; they’re physical records of a community in transition, capturing a moment when civic ambition and modernist experimentation converged on the North Shore.
Join us for Municipal Modern and experience the architecture that shaped West Vancouver’s mid‑century identity. Walk the streets, see the details up close, and discover the architects who helped define the place we call home.
Tickets available here now. West Coast Modern Week sells out every year — don’t wait!