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I'd say Vancouver is borderline world class but not quite. It certainly pushes far above cities near it with a similar population in terms of opportunity and draw.

Vancouver's hyperdensity dies off quickly after one leaves the peninsula, but there is still mid-to-low-rise density in some areas and did this Berliner even happen to visit all the massive suburban high rise clusters? The architecture I think is very good in Vancouver, relative to other Canadian cities and American cities. Yaletown can be a bit repetitive, but it's not bland (nothing spectacular either, save a few spots, either). The Olympic Village, for example is very high quality architecture, as is the city's new landmark, Shangri-La. And Vancouver's sprawl is not half as bad as the two Alberta metropolis'. Urban vibrancy? I don't get that comment. Robson, Yaletown, Gastown, Hastings east (though not in ways one would expect), South Granville, Commercial, West End, Broadway west, etc. are all vibrant and interesting.

Everything else is agreeable.