St Andrew’s Wesley United Church first opened in 1933 and to this day, it remains an iconic public gathering space in Vancouver, continuing to perform in its original purpose as a church with a growing congregation as well as home to local concerts and performances.
St Andrew’s is a stunning example of Gothic Revival architecture and is known locally for its glorious interior including vaulted timber roof, impressive French and Italian stained glass windows and angel reliefs.
The church was designed and constructed between 1930 and 1933 by architects Twizell and Twizell. Brothers George and Robert Twizell were born in Newcastle upon Tyne in the North of England, also home to BIM Academy’s head office – a very nice connection for the team here at BIM Academy when we first started working on the project.
Over time the building started to fail, and work was urgently needed to upgrade the original concrete structure, reinstate the original plaster interiors and replace the stone flooring. This project involved a complex restoration of this historic landmark church both internally and externally.
BIM Academy partnered with Ryder to combine their expertise to allow them to facilitate an integrated design and construction process. We built a 3D model using a combination of the existing 1930s drawings and a point cloud survey of the church.
This digital survey model was invaluable in establishing the optimum structural design response and reinstatement of the historic church interiors after the completion of the seismic upgrade.
As a unique heritage upgrade, consistent coordination with each consultant on the project team was key to delivering seamless completion.
The renovation project completed in the summer of 2021, returning this prominent community landmark back to its rightful position showcasing the beauty of the early 20th century architecture.
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