Case study: The Butterfly + First Baptist Church Complex
About This Project
The Butterfly + First Baptist Church Complex is a landmark mixed-use development in downtown Vancouver, born from a unique partnership between architects, developers, and a religious institution. This project reimagines church-owned land as a vertical village, integrating community, culture, and contemporary design. It combines the meticulous restoration and expansion of the historic 1911 First Baptist Church – a cherished Gothic Revival landmark – with a new mid-rise affordable rental building and an iconic 57-storey residential condominium tower.
The project addresses urban densification by introducing a new typology for vertical living that is design-forward and community-focused. The Butterfly tower’s sculpted, flowing facade, inspired by natural forms, contracts to the enduring heritage architecture of the church, symbolizing Vancouver’s evolving urban spirit. The project encompasses a wide range of spaces, including worship areas, commercial retail, residential suites, and extensive amenities including a swimming pool, gym, and lounge.
Integrating high-rise living with the spiritual and cultural programs of a restored church presented a unique acoustical challenge: creating quiet, comfortable homes adjacent to active public, worship, and social spaces, all within a vibrant urban setting.
Scope of Services
As the acoustical consultant for this complex and multifaceted project, BKL was tasked with ensuring a high-quality sonic environment for all its diverse functions. The scope of services was comprehensive, addressing the challenges presented by the blend of heritage performance spaces, modern residential suites, and commercial amenities.
BKL’s work was structured around several key areas:
- Environmental noise control: Conducted a 24-hour environmental noise study to assess traffic noise impact on the building facades. Using predictive modeling software, BKL recommended specific glazing and wall construction details to ensure interior noise levels within the residential suites complied with the City of Vancouver’s bylaws.
- Building systems noise & vibration control: Provided design recommendations to control noise from HVAC systems, plumbing, elevators, transformers, and emergency generators. This included reviewing equipment specifications, designing silencing strategies, and providing vibration isolation specifications for mechanical and electrical equipment to prevent disturbance to both residential and commercial occupants.
- Acoustics for heritage & performance spaces: Conducted baseline acoustic measurements and modeling for the Sanctuary, Pinder Hall, Galleria, and a 2-storey piano lounge, with the goal of enhancing these spaces for congregational singing, musical performance, and speech intelligibility while controlling background noise. Recommendations included the use of silencers, vibration isolation, ductwork design guidelines, and mechanical noise performance targets.
- Sound isolation between spaces: Reviewed construction details for walls and floors throughout the entire complex to ensure adequate sound isolation. This was essential between adjacent residential suites, between suites and amenity spaces, and between different functional areas within the church facilities to ensure privacy and comfort.
- Construction administration: Provided services during the construction phase, including reviewing critical shop drawings and conducting periodic site visits to observe the installation of acoustical elements and help resolve any on-site acoustic issues.
Project Benefits
Working with Westbank, Revery Architecture, and the rest of the design-build team, BKL’s integrated acoustical design was essential to realizing the project’s vision of a harmonious and high-performance mixed-use environment. The solutions directly supported the complex’s diverse needs by:
- Preserving cultural and ceremonial integrity: In the heritage church and new performance spaces, optimized acoustics ensure that music, singing, and spoken word are conveyed with clarity and richness, respecting the primary functions of these cherished community spaces.
- Ensuring residential comfort and privacy: High-performance sound isolation between suites and from noise generated by building systems creates a tranquil living environment within the dense urban setting, protecting residents from intrusive noise and fostering a sense of being at home.
- Enabling functional coexistence: By mitigating sound transmission between vastly different program elements – such as a daycare, a gym, a swimming pool, and quiet bedrooms – the acoustical design allows this vertical village to operate cohesively, supporting its vibrant community ecosystem.
BKL’s work helped ensure that The Butterfly + First Baptist Church Complex is not only an architectural icon but also a meticulously engineered environment where heritage and modernity, community and privacy, can thrive together.
Image courtesy of Revery Architecture Inc.
Year Completed
2024
Total Area
605,000 square feet