△ Lobby of the Albany Kengo Kuma Project
In June this year, Alberni by Kengo Kuma, a remarkable new landmark art residence in Vancouver, was officially completed. This project was a collaboration between Westbank, a prominent Canadian real estate group, and the acclaimed architect Kengo Kuma. It stands as one of the few high-rise residential buildings in Vancouver designed with a Japanese aesthetic, blending form, materials, and spirit harmoniously with the city’s character.
Westbank recently celebrated the successful completion and handover of the project with Kengo Kuma and his associates in the Albany Kengo building’s lobby.
Located at the busy intersection of Alberni Street and Cardero Street, just a three-minute walk from Coal Harbour in Vancouver, the Albany Kengo Kuma building rises 43 stories high. It is a rare high-rise featuring six different angles, designed with gentle curves that integrate seamlessly with the surrounding urban environment. This thoughtful architecture forms a stunning cityscape and a new iconic landmark for Vancouver.
The building showcases a Zen-inspired high-end residence through its metal structures, wooden accents, and overlapping layers, creating a textured and harmonious composition.
The Albany Kengo Kuma building has become a new urban landmark in Vancouver.
Kengo Kuma, a globally influential Japanese architect, is renowned for preserving traditional Japanese architectural styles while infusing them with contemporary relevance. Throughout his career, he has received numerous awards. Alberni Kengo Kuma marks his first high-rise residential project in North America.
Westbank and Kengo Kuma share a strong alignment in aesthetic values, leading to a long-term partnership and friendship. To date, they have collaborated on eight projects.
Regarding the Albany project, Kuma stated, “I wanted to apply the concept of layering to modern urban environments. While tall buildings often feel impersonal and cold, architecture can create humane spaces through hierarchical design.” Accordingly, the tower incorporates natural elements, such as wooden screens, to enhance the connection between city streets and the surrounding landscape.
The building extensively uses traditional Japanese woodworking techniques (Kigumi), assembling layers of interlocking tenons into complex patterns. This craftsmanship results in stunning decorative effects that enrich the building’s appearance.
Public amenities at the Albany building are luxurious and thoughtfully designed, including a 24-hour high-end lobby reception, a Japanese-style moss garden with a performance venue, a world-class custom-made Fazioli piano, a well-equipped fitness center, a wine tasting room featuring glass shelves and temperature-controlled storage, an art gallery, Michelin-starred Japanese restaurants, and indoor swimming pools framed by wooden structures.
The interior design reflects Japanese Zen principles: open living spaces with floor-to-ceiling French windows, Japanese soaking tubs with artistic bonsai installations, indoor-outdoor Japanese gardens, and a top-floor duplex offering panoramic views of English Bay and the city skyline.
The Albany Kengo Kuma project is now complete. Entering the building reveals subtle, intricate details that come together as a unified work of art. Kengo Kuma himself remarked, “I have worked with many developers, but this is the first time I’ve encountered a partner like Westbank, who is so dedicated to quality.”
Ian Gillespie (left) and Kengo Kuma (right), President of Westbank
△ Close-up view of the Albany Kengo Kuma building
△ Panoramic view of the Albany Kengo Kuma building
△ Lobby of the Albany Kengo Kuma project, featuring a world-class Fazioli piano customized to the architectural design
△ Albany Kengo Kuma’s streetscape
Reception desk at Albany Kengo Kuma
Albany Kengo Kuma 24-hour reception desk
Albany Kengo Kuma reading room, featuring a high-tech audio system and a Kyoto lounge chair designed by Kengo Kuma
△ Albany Kengo Kuma indoor swimming pool
Albany Kengo Kuma wine tasting room
Albany Kengo Kuma art gallery, featuring works by artist Wang Xuyuan
Albany Kengo Kuma’s public art installation titled “The Divided Rock”
Albany Kengo Kuma building exterior
Founded in 1992, Westbank Group is a leading real estate developer in North America with total assets valued at CAD 50 billion (approximately RMB 300 billion). Besides being one of the world’s foremost zero-carbon real estate developers, Westbank is also a major regional energy provider in North America.
The group’s portfolio encompasses landmark art residences, five-star hotels, creative office spaces, energy communities, social housing, entertainment ventures, fitness businesses, and ballet academies. With offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Seattle, San Jose, Shanghai, Beijing, Taiwan, Tokyo, and Hong Kong, Westbank is committed to creating world-class art landmarks.
Westbank owns the only two Shangri-La hotels and the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel in North America and has collaborated multiple times with internationally renowned designers such as Bjarke Ingels and Kengo Kuma.
As a culturally diverse enterprise, Westbank actively engages with sectors beyond real estate, including art, culture, and fashion, and is deeply involved in building sustainable infrastructure to create inspiring, high-quality luxury art destinations.
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