Westbank

Westbank is a practice dedicated to the creation of inspiring environments.

We fundamentally believe in the power of well-functioning cities and the overarching values best described as the common good - that the solutions to our greatest challenges will be found in helping our cities live up to their full potential.

Established 30 years ago, Westbank is a private company that partners with likeminded global organizations to become ever more impactful. We concentrate primarily on projects that serve as catalysts for broader change in our core cities of focus: Vancouver, Toronto, Seattle, Tokyo and San Jose. As a global leader in net zero development and the co-owner of one of North America's largest district energy providers, we are committed to largescale net zero carbon initiatives. Our body of work includes residential, hotels, retail, creative workspace, district energy, affordable housing, exhibitions and public art, with over $50B of projects completed or under development.

As our practice has evolved, we have woven together an ecosystem of cultural enterprises including restaurants, gyms, spas, music venues, private members clubs, fashion, dance schools and food halls. We bring this ecosystem to life through collaborations with some of the most talented artists, architects, designers and entrepreneurs in the world.

We look for every opportunity to strengthen the bonds that unite us – to create shared experiences that bring people together and help build more inspiring, sustainable communities. Through these and other endeavours, our evolution continues as we become a cultural platform for the creative city.

In a very short period of time, we have seen the cities in which we practice evolve towards economies dominated by a number of emerging industries that are loosely defined as the creative economy.

In a very short period of time, we have seen the cities in which we practice evolve towards economies dominated by a number of emerging industries that are loosely defined as the creative economy. Starting with TELUS Garden in Vancouver, we have been attempting to respond to the changing demands of this new sector of the economy. The way we build workspaces today should in no way resemble how workspaces were built 20 years ago. With each project we are attempting to challenge the impediments to the creation of flexible, creative workspace and produce something that responds in much shorter time, to our society’s changing needs. We do not think our ambitions should stop at a creative design, but rather we should exercise the depth and the rigour in our work to maintain a high degree of artistry throughout the entire process.

We want to continue growing in this area because we believe bring a different perspective. Workspace, like your home or your hotel should inspire your team, and your clients as well as communicate your firm’s values.

This is the impetus and inspiration for Westbank Creative Workspace - we are taking the concept of the traditional commercial real estate portfolio and transforming it into something that we hope will be able to serve us and future generations better, as our economy continues to grow and evolve.