During July (and all year long) celebrate Vancouver’s heritage with 25th anniversary celebration activities curated by the Vancouver Heritage Foundation.

Our view on heritage restoration and adaptive reuse begins with respect for the site’s heritage, through thoughtful adaptive reuse of the existing structure. RATIO’s work in conserving some of British Columbia’s heritage sites has resulted in award-winning and nationally recognized sites that connect design excellence, adaptive reuse and historic preservation.

Identifying and preserving the heritage sites in our communities acknowledges the important link to the past and our shared heritage. Heritage BC recently announced a new Japanese-Canadian Historic Places Recognition Project to be completed on behalf of the British Columbia Ministry of International Trade and the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. They are seeking nominations of historic places of place with heritage values believed to be significant or important to the Japanese-Canadian community in BC.

Four opportunities to connect with our heritage, up close and personal, through walking tours around Metro Vancouver organized by Heritage Vancouver, AIBC, The Elders Council for Parks and North Vancouver Museum & Archives.

Over the years RATIO has worked on transforming a West Vancouver heritage building, Gertrude Lawson House, to the multi-use West Vancouver Museum & Archives building.

The conservation of heritage buildings results in economic, cultural and environmental benefits to communities. Municipalities see the impact of heritage conservation through civic pride and a sense of place with architectural diversity. Economic benefits are felt through tourism, enhanced property values and employment. The investment in heritage conservation — whether through preservation, rehabilitation, restoration or adaptive reuse — aligns with municipal sustainability strategies that will drive economic, cultural and environmental benefits to its residents. RATIO has worked on a number of heritage projects that have turned into award-winning, much loved public facilities.