Pipe Shop Venue Renovation – North Vancouver

We are thrilled to see the community embrace our recently completed renovation of The Pipe Shop Venue at the Shipyards, in North Vancouver. Since opening on April 8^th, The Pipe Shop has hosted weddings, yoga classes, galas, dinners, pop-up markets, night markets, early learning initiatives, photo shoots, and private events.

The Pipe Shop, built in the 1940’s and previously known as the Pipefitter’s Building, was originally used to construct piping systems for the local shipbuilding market until 1991. Today, the facility serves as a community venue, with a large open plan and high ceiling providing plenty of flexibility for a rapidly densifying and evolving neighbourhood.

The renovation provides further opportunities for the public by adding washrooms, a projector surface, a servery, storage, and janitorial facilities. Our interior addition was designed to take up as little space as possible, allowing plenty of open space for events. Space for a future upper floor and additional programming has been provided behind the projector surface.

The hyper-modern addition, set against the old warehouse, brings attention to the history and cultural value of the shipyards through their contrasting materials. The projector screen is set in the center of the facility, reinforcing the one-point vanishing perspective generated by the building’s symmetry. Splashes of red were introduced to raise energy levels, invoke feelings of excitement and intensity, stimulate conversation, create a strong first impression, and evoke feelings of love, warmth, and comfort. Three shades of white and two shades of red paint were used to further accent the geometry within the venue.

All photos by Annette Cheung