525 Seymour St

Considered the finest Gothic Revival façade in the city, this ten-storey office tower was erected in 1912, with a structure of reinforced concrete. Designed by Seattle’s firm Somervell and Putnam, the building boasts a detailed cream terracotta façade fashioned similarly to the office towers of the architects’ hometown. The elevation features ogival arches that are crowned with a detailed tracery cresting, showcasing stylized flowers and heraldic symbols; the lower niches stand without sculptures.

This design, commissioned for the Yorkshire Guarantee and Securities Company, was not only a novelty for the city, but also for the architects who usually worked with more neo-classical lines. It is thought that this turn-of-the-century building actually introduced the use of gothic aesthetics in Vancouver.

Source

Hidden cities : Art and Design in Architectural Details of Vancouver and Victoria (Edwards), Dictionary of Canadian Architects, Exploring Vancouver: The Architectural Guide (Kalman 1993, 2012),