Living Shangri-la is a mixed-use skyscraper in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and is the tallest building in the city and province. The 62-storey Shangri-La tower contains a 5-star hotel and its offices on the first 15 floors, with condominium apartment units occupying the rest of the tower. The building's podium complex also includes a spa, Urban Fare specialty grocery store, a Vancouver Art Gallerypublic display, and a curated public sculpture garden. The high-rise stands tall and there is a private roof garden on floor 61. It is the 7thtallest building in Canada. As part of the development deal, the Coastal Church, built in 1919 and located at the west end of the site, underwent a $4.4million restoration.
Hotel
The Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver is a full-service hotel that is part of the building. It is a member of the Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts chain, and is Shangri-La's first North American property. The hotel occupies floors Ground to 15 with 119 rooms. There is no 4th or 13th floor. The hotel includes 5-star services such as restaurants, shops, and Chi The Spa at Shangri-La.
Residences
Living Shangri-La also contains 307 residential units, consisting of 234 general live-work homes on floors 16 to 43 and 63 private access residential units on floors 44–60 with three penthouses on floor 61. The condominium units are accessible from the entrance at 1128 West Georgia Street and 1111 Alberni Street.
Construction
The project required 3.1million man-hours of employment, 15,000 truckloads of earth excavated, of concrete, and of reinforcing steel. During the height of construction activity, 1,000 workers were on site constructing one floor per week. The Shangri-La set Vancouver's record for the deepest excavation of, defeating the past record of set by the One Wall Centre, and it officially became the tallest building in Vancouver on October 2, 2007. The total cost of this building was near. The tower craneon top of the building was fitted with Christmas lights on November 13, 2007, and was the tallest crane illuminated in Vancouver in 2007. A windstorm on January 15, 2008, caused loose construction materials to blow off the building and into the streets below. Parked vehicles were damaged by falling plywood, but there were no injuries. The neighbouring Terasen Gas building also sustained damage in the storm. Police closed off West Georgia Street for over twelve hours. The development was marketed by Bob Rennie of Rennie Marketing Systems.
Cultural references
The building was featured in the 2010 film as the headquarters of the fictional company ENCOM International.
