BC Provincial 3-Block Complex

Designed by Arthur Erickson, this complex houses a Law Courts building, which reflects the most advanced concepts in jurisprudence, office space for 600 government employees, public amenities galore, and the city's only outdoor ice skating rink. Public amenities include a theatre/auditorium, a cinema, conference and meeting rooms, an exhibition area, two quality restaurants, an international food fair, public lounges and a spectacular open-air plaza. The three-block development is connected by a three-dimensional urban park which incorporates a block-long rooftop reflecting pool, three waterfalls, a foot bridge, a man-made mountain and hundreds of trees, shrubs, and ground coverings. Ultramodern in concept and design, the massive complex of parks and buildings offers a contrast, in height and design, to Vancouver's original courthouse located adjacent to the square, which was designed by architect Francis Rattenbury and completed in 1912.