As a pace-setting project embodying Gramor Development's underlying goals for Vancouver’s new riverfront neighborhood, the Murdock anchors opportunities for housing and restaurants, as well as connections to the local farmers’ market and adjacent city park.
A short block away from the river, the building’s light, airy architectural form and layout evokes the spirit of the dramatic Columbia River. Our outside-in, inside-out approach imbues the Murdock; it’s designed to be accessible, pedestrian-friendly, and evocative of this gorgeous location. A sheltered courtyard opens up from North to South, giving tenants and visitors as many river views as possible and flooding the area with natural light. Wide windows expand the Murdock’s sweeping views throughout the entire seventh floor, framing not only the river, but also Mount Hood beyond. A terrace on the sixth floor gives tenants plenty of access to fresh air and river-watching at all hours.
Aesthetically referencing the shapes and patterns of a marina, gentle angles allude to the prow of a ship, while white metal and exterior finishes recall Vancouver’s industrial waterfront. Gazing out across the river from the rooftop deck, visitors and tenants might feel like passengers on a ship’s forward deck.
This riverfront feeling flows inside the Murdock as well: The main lobby, with its subtle curvilinear shape, winds from one door to another. Butter-yellow and cream-colored bays reference archetypically bright waterfront architecture; green, grey, and softer tones invoke the colors of the river and its wilder natural areas; metal panels refer to shipping and honor the site’s recent industrial past.
With its sharp historical sense, clear vision for Vancouver’s future, and reverence for the mighty Columbia River, the Murdock brings new life to The Waterfront—today and, hopefully, decades to come.