Recordings | Virtual Heritage Lunch & Learn

Learn about the state of heritage and conservation projects in Vancouver today with experts in architecture and design, conservation, city planning and other related fields. Our virtual heritage lunch and learns discuss issues, local projects and topics that are relevant to the future of Vancouver’s historic neighbourhoods and buildings.

Recordings from past VHF virtual Lunch & Learns are available. A link will be sent for each virtual lunch & learn with the confirmation of your purchase and the video will be available for viewing on YouTube up to a month after your purchase. 

2021

September 23rd | St. Andrew’s-Wesley Church

One of the largest historic churches in the province, St. Andrews-Wesley Church was designed by the architects Twizell & Twizell in a freely-adapted Gothic Revival style between 1930 and 1933. A designated municipal heritage site, it recently underwent a full seismic upgrade and restoration work, which was awarded the 2021 BC Heritage Award for Outstanding Conservation. Heritage consultant Donald Luxton and engineer of record for the project Dennis Gam discussed the completed restoration and seismic upgrade, including how interior and exterior character-defining elements were preserved or rehabilitated and how missing or deteriorated elements were restored.

October 21st | Sun Tower

Designed in the Beaux Art style in 1911-12 by W.T. Whiteway, the Sun Tower is an iconic and flamboyant feature on the Vancouver skyline. It was originally home to the Vancouver World Newspaper. Its publisher, Louis D Tayor, was a prominent figure who was elected as mayor eight times. The paper promoted the war effort during the First World War while also directly participating in fundraising efforts. In 1915 Taylor lost control of the newspaper and the building due to the recession. The Vancouver Sun newspaper moved into the building in 1937 after its offices across Pender were destroyed by fire and it has been known as the Sun Tower ever since despite the newspaper moving out again in 1965. Powell Talverdi and architect Barry McGinn explored the recent envelope stabilization, dome reroofing and restoration work of the building that has been ongoing since 2018.

2022

November 3rd | The little house that could: The conservation of the Coulter House within the HOUSS development

Join developer Joe Carreira, architect Taizo Yamamoto and heritage consultant Elana Zysblat as they share the story of this unconventional project, which they saw as an innovative solution to the challenge of preserving the history and built heritage of the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood, while appealing to the needs of a community known to be a catalyst of industry and innovation. This new and unique strata office, commercial and industrial mixed-use building, developed by Conwest Group, boldly incorporates the 1901 heritage house that stood previously on the site as the focal point of its design.

2023

October 19th | The Post

One of the most ambitious heritage redevelopment projects in Canada’s history, The Post revitalized a historic Vancouver icon ensuring its preservation and transforming it into a vibrant destination in the city’s centre. Constructed between 1953-58 and occupying an entire city block, the former Main Post Office is an exceptional example of International Style architecture in western Canada. Designed by the prominent local architectural firm of McCarter Nairne & Partners with the Federal Department of Public Works, the municipally designated building has undergone a significant rehabilitation program. QuadReal’s Vice-President of Development Graeme Scott, heritage consultant Chelsea Dunk of Donald Luxton & Associates, and architect Aaron Petruic of Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership discussed the revitalization of this Vancouver landmark and how its seismic upgrade, restoration, and sensitive rehabilitation were completed in a manner to conserve the heritage value of the building’s central podium while modernizing the site to facilitate its new office and commercial use.

2024

March 14th | Learning from Turner Dairy: Adaptive Reuse and Preparing for Climate Crisis

Occupying nearly an entire block at W 17th Avenue and Ontario St, the Turner Dairy complex has had many industrial uses over the past 100 years – a luggage factory, book publishing, candle making, and furniture warehouse. Now transformed into a residential townhouse complex surrounded by the bustling neighbourhood of Mount Pleasant, the name recalls the site’s original use as a small dairy farm run by Frederick Turner and his sons in 1911. The meaningful redevelopment of the lot into a residential townhouse complex began 10 years ago and sought to honour its historic roots in its design, including some of the buildings’ original Edwardian features. Join design principal and architect Inge Roecker from AIRstudio for an in-depth look at the adaptive reuse of the site from pre-design to completion. She will provide insight on exciting processes such as deconstruction, material restoration and re-use were implemented, and share how they brought the historic industrial building forward in a contemporary context

2025

April 10th | A History, and Examination, of Finn Slough as a Cultural Landscape

Finn Slough, originally settled by Finnish fishermen east of Steveston, has a history tied closely to the land and the fishing industry. The community’s deep connection to the marsh's natural geography shaped their lives and livelihood. Later residents embraced the ecological harmony of the site, fostering a commitment to preserving the landscape. Despite threats of eviction and climate change, the community continues to honor its heritage and maintain its ties to the land.

Join Guy Taylor, 2023/2024 winner of the Robert Lemon Heritage Studies Prize, and explore the history of the site, the concept of cultural heritage landscapes (CHLs), and how we may better understand the Finn Slough site through the lens of a CHL.

May 8th | Disaster Planning and Heritage: Imagining Earthquake Aftermaths in Vancouver

This talk invites you on a journey through speculative anthropology to a future where Vancouver has recovered from a seismic disaster. Dr. Jonathan Eaton will address key questions such as: What would transpire if the “Big One” were to strike Vancouver tomorrow? What principles would guide the rebuilding efforts in the ensuing months? What aspects of the city would we strive to preserve? How might Vancouver transform in the aftermath?
In the process, we will learn about the ways that heritage is threatened by disasters and how preserving and celebrating heritage can be woven into Vancouver’s recovery, even before disaster strikes.

September 11th  |  The Oberlander Archives: A New Collection at the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre

Join the archivists at the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre to explore the newly processed collection of personal records from Peter and Cornelia (Hahn) Oberlander. Learn more about German and Austrian Jewish refugees like the Hahn and Oberlander families who were able to escape Nazi persecution in Europe.

October 9th |  Behind the Seams: Vancouver’s Garment Industry in the 1900s

Vancouver is not known today for its garment industry, but some prominent factories (staffed largely by women), put the city on the map in the early part of the 20th C. This presentation traces a century of clothing manufacturing, from its early days of industrialization to its modern underground form, focusing on the experiences of the workers and their ongoing struggle for fair and dignified work.

November 6th | Vancouver's Chinese Societies: Keys to Living Heritage

Many visitors have visited Vancouver Chinatown’s in search of Chinese cuisine and specialty shops. A visible and yet commonly overlooked fabric that lines the streets of Chinatown and their surrounding neighbourhoods are Chinese Societies. Vancouver is home to one of the largest concentrations of them. A century after the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed, Larry Chin methodically walked the streets to find out how many are still in existence and active. With his experience on the Board of two Chinese Societies, will guide you on a virtual journey and access their interior spaces to share his findings as well as their origins, purpose and relevance; with a look at the beautifully illustrated Chinese Societies Map, the 2022 VHF Publication Grant recipient

2026

February 19th | Recipes of Resistance
Lise Kirchner and Ellie Lawson from the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre helped VHF commemorate Heritage Week with the inspiring story of Rebecca Teitelbaum and the book of recipes she compiled while imprisoned at Ravensbrück concentration camp. Through historical context, family photographs, archival records and survivor testimony, attendees learned about the persecution of Belgian Jews, the experiences of women imprisoned in Ravensbrück and the creative acts of defiance that sustained them.

April 9th | Use of Reality Capture Technology for Heritage Projects
A.J. Ballou explored how tools like 3D scanning, photogrammetry, and lidar are transforming the documentation, preservation, and interpretation of historic building projects and sites. The presentation highlighted practical applications utilizing 3D laser scanning, UAV LiDAR, and lessons learned from recent heritage projects.

May 14th | Diversity and Design: Alfred Waugh and the IRSHDC
Shannon Robinson of the IRSHDC guided attendees through a virtual visit to the IRSHDC during this presentation exploring the building designed by award-winning architect Alfred Waugh (Formline Architecture), the first Indigenous graduate of UBC’s architecture program. They focused on the unique design features and symbolic architectural elements as well as shared stories from the creation of this two-story, 6,500 square-foot space.

We do not provide refunds or credits for recording purchases. Thank you for your understanding.

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