Downtown Vancouver Updates - Page 968

officedweller · #**19341** Posted **Feb 13, 2021, 1:40 AM**

Re: Refurbishment of The Sun Tower's dome.

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatnext

Apparently it now has a genuine copper roof, rather than a faux one:

https://theprovince.com/news/local-news/...wcm/32957eaa-0c1f-4e88-a9c7-5f2e9cf81057

The Sun Tower, which is mostly behind scaffolding as it gets a facelift, has a new copper-clad dome.
PHOTO BY NICK PROCAYLO /PNG
https://theprovince.com/news/local-news/...wcm/32957eaa-0c1f-4e88-a9c7-5f2e9cf81057

Migrant_Coconut · #**19342** Posted **Feb 13, 2021, 3:17 AM**

They do know it's just going to turn green again, right?

mcminsen · #**19343** Posted **Feb 13, 2021, 6:08 AM**

Feb.12 '21, my pics

mcminsen · #**19344** Posted **Feb 13, 2021, 6:29 AM**

The shiny new copper goes brown pretty quick. Compare the little dome at the very top in these pics from about 11 weeks ago.

Nov.28 '20, my pics

officedweller · #**19345** Posted **Feb 13, 2021, 8:20 AM**

There's no ladder to the top anymore.

WarrenC12 · #**19346** Posted **Feb 13, 2021, 4:17 PM**

Copper thieves rubbing their hands in glee.

jollyburger · #**19347** Posted **Feb 13, 2021, 5:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by officedweller

There's no ladder to the top anymore.

The more dissapointing omission is the lighting if that's not going to return.

Galaxy · #**19348** Posted **Feb 13, 2021, 5:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

They do know it's just going to turn green again, right?

It's already turning green and by the end of the year(2021), I would not be surprised at all if it was all green. Love the look of copper roofs just wished they never turned green but that's just not possible...

jollyburger · #**19349** Posted **Feb 13, 2021, 7:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galaxy

It's already turning green and by the end of the year(2021), I would not be surprised at all if it was all green. Love the look of copper roofs just wished they never turned green but that's just not possible...

The reporter mentions 20 years but that is for desert climates.

mcminsen · #**19350** Posted **Feb 14, 2021, 6:32 AM**

Here's a chart showing how long it took the copper on the Statue of Liberty to turn green.

It depends on how much rain it's exposed to and how much pollution (sulphur dioxide) is in the air.

Source: https://www.jtcroofing.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Copper-patina-colour-chart1.jpg

mcminsen · #**19351** Posted **Feb 14, 2021, 6:59 AM**

Here's an example of what almost six years can do to new copper in Vancouver.

First pic is of some new copper trim that had been installed on Hotel Vancouver in the spring of 2015.

Second pic is of that same copper trim today. The bit of white on the ledges is snow.

Maybe I'll do another update in 2027 and we'll see what colour change there is.

April 4 '15, my pic

Feb.13 '21, my pic

SeymourDrake · #**19352** Posted **Feb 14, 2021, 1:31 PM**

I like the look of new Copper, so why use copper that changes colour over time?

Why not use a high quality paint on a engineered product.

Is there a benefit to using copper?

WarrenC12 · #**19353** Posted **Feb 14, 2021, 3:33 PM**

Yeah it has a classic look on some buildings (ie Parliament), but why are we still doing it today? Copper has very productive uses in electronics.

Changing City · #**19354** Posted **Feb 14, 2021, 5:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Yeah it has a classic look on some buildings (ie Parliament), but why are we still doing it today? Copper has very productive uses in electronics.

Lighter than the alternatives, very durable, recyclable, and probably recycled when it's installed. There's a long wikipedia page if you want more details.

The installations in Vancouver that feature copper cladding are almost all in buildings like this and St Andrew's Wesley where the installation is on older heritage buildings. The one exception I can think of was Grace, on Richards, where the terracotta cladding and the copper roof (and gothic design) were all retro details - so that's purely aesthetics. It seems to be that's mostly why it gets used today - some designers and clients like it.

PopYourColla · #**19355** Posted **Feb 16, 2021, 1:15 AM**

I like the look of copper when it turns green. I think The Melville also has some copper detailing on its roof and exterior.

jollyburger · #**19356** Posted **Feb 16, 2021, 3:01 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PopYourColla

I like the look of copper when it turns green. I think The Melville also has some copper detailing on its roof and exterior.

Yeah the cladding must have been treated since it's still pretty brown looking.

squeezied · #**19357** Posted **Feb 16, 2021, 5:21 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Yeah the cladding must have been treated since it's still pretty brown looking.

Yea, I've been waiting since it was built in 2007 but signs of any green yet...

jollyburger · #**19358** Posted **Feb 16, 2021, 6:42 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by squeezied

Yea, I've been waiting since it was built in 2007 but signs of any green yet...

There was some discussion about the patina in the Urban Design Panel minutes but not sure what they finalized on.

https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/development-permit-board-mar-1-04.pdf

officedweller · #**19359** Posted **Feb 16, 2021, 7:51 AM**

Strange, though - it says "final colour of the copper" which suggests that it wasn't intended to change colour over time.

scryer · #**19360** Posted **Feb 16, 2021, 2:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PopYourColla

I like the look of copper when it turns green. I think The Melville also has some copper detailing on its roof and exterior.

I'm glad that I'm not the only one that shares this opinion. I think it's a testament to time to watch copper slowly turn into that beautiful teal green colour.

Anywho, for anyone in the know, when copper does oxidize into a teal; does it become more brittle as a structure? Because I'm thinking that the Statue of Liberty is due for a "spray tan" sometime soon

.