Bing Wing Thom (8 December 1940 – 4 October 2016) was a Canadian architect and urban designer.
Early life Bing Wing Thom (Chinese: 譚秉榮) was born of December 8, 1940 in Hong Kong and emigrated to Vancouver with his family in 1949.Bing Wing Thom at "Encyclopedia of Music in Canada", retrieved 1 September 2019 His paternal grandfather had emigrated to Vancouver in the 1890s and his father was born in New Westminster before moving to Hong Kong after being unable to practice as a pharmacist in Canada.Renowned Vancouver architect Bing Thom has died
In 1966, Thom received a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of British Columbia (UBC) then a Master of Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley. He spent two years teaching at the National University of Singapore, then returned to Vancouver and taught at UBC for another two years. In 1971, he moved to Tokyo to work for Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki.
Career In 1973, his former teacher Arthur Erickson Architects asked him to act as project director on the Robson Square Courthouse Complex. Thom had a life-long interest in landscaping and embraced the challenge of the project, which involved putting a full landscape over a man-made structure and creating a 4-block roof garden; the project, which involved thousands of plants, was complex—he and landscape architect Cornelia Oberlander went so far as to create their own soil.
After Robson Square, Thom worked with Erickson on Toronto's Roy Thomson Hall, the Air Defence Ministry Building in Jeddah and California Plaza in Los Angeles. He would also repeatedly work with Oberlander, notably on the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts at UBC. The site contained 50 100-foot trees and 200 60 year-old azaleas. Thom put the 8-storey structure into this forest, and then let the forest grow onto it. In a 1990 interview, Thom said that he was an architect first, but would never design a building without also designing the landscape, saying "The building must grow from the ground, and the landscaping is the foundation. Each building must sit correctly on that setting, while relating to the landscape. So the landscape is actually more important than the building. Many architects don't realize that landscaping is essential to architecture—that buildings and gardens are inter-related and indivisible. I start every design by looking at the property's characteristics—the way the sun shines, the wind blows, the location, the view. I use plants only, never anything artificial. And I always use vegetation from the building's locale. We must remember that we can't fight nature. We have to work with it."
In 1981, Thom established his own firm, Vancouver-based Bing Thom Architects in an office of his own design and construction. As of 2015, the firm had 47 staff members, including principals Michael Heeney, Venelin Kokalov and Shinobu Homma, directors, registered architects, architectural graduate and students, urban designers and planners, and support staff.AIBC firm description. Retrieved 2013-12-08 Thom also had offices in Hong Kong and Washington D.C. and, in 2010, was awarded the Architectural Firm of the Year award by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC). At Thom's death, the firm's name was changed to Revery Architecture, which completed some of Thom's projects, notable the Butterfly Tower & First Baptist Church Complex which opened in 2026.
Thom's firm spent its first few years working on numerous private homes, condominium towers, and pavilions for Vancouver's Expo 86, including the top-rated Northwest Territories Pavilion, a $2.8 million iceberg, with a coating of shimmering glass granules. This led to the commission to design the Canada Pavilion at Expo '92 in Seville. For this, Thom needed to express the Canadian spirit in a way that would fit with Spanish architecture. Canada is the world's largest exporter of zinc, so Thom used thick zinc-tiled walls to control heat and included a cool, landscaped courtyard and a cascading water wall. Visitors waited in line for as long as eight hours to get into the pavilion, but they did so in a shaded colonnade. The structure also included a performance stage, exhibit hall, restaurant, art gallery and a 500-seat IMAX Theatre. It was one of the most popular pavilions at the fair, garnered major global recognition and became the only international pavilion permanently retained as a legacy building.
In 1995, Thom was made a Member of the Order of Canada and received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal for outstanding service to his country. He was a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and received honorary degrees from UBC and Simon Fraser University—he was also named Honorary Professor by Singapore's Tongji University. In 2011 he was awarded the RAIC's highest honour, the RAIC Gold Medal.Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Gold Medal – 2011 Recipient
Personal life and death Thom was married to Bonnie Koo, a landscaper, for over 50 years; they had no children. While on a trip to Hong Kong, Thom suffered a brain aneurysm and died on October 4, 2016 at the age of 75.
Works The full records of Thom's projects, drawings and proposals can be found at the University of Calgary Archives. Structure Location Type YearThe Butterfly Tower & First Baptist Church Complex Vancouver, BC Residential development 2026Simon Fraser University Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering Building Surrey, BC Educational building 2019 Xiqu Centre Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong Performing arts structure, Chinese Opera 2018 Allard Hall, MacEwan University Edmonton, AB University arts centre 2017 Woodridge Neighborhood Library Washington, DC Library 2016 Guildford Aquatic Centre Surrey, BC Community centre 2015 Aberdeen Square retail and office addition to Aberdeen Centre Richmond, BC Mixed-use development 2013 Tarrant County College, Trinity River Campus Fort Worth, TX Educational institution 2011 Surrey City Centre Public Library Surrey, BC Library 2011 Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater Washington, DC Performing arts structure 2010 SAIT Polytechnic Parking Garage Calgary, AB Parking structure 2009 Sunset Community Centre Vancouver, BC Community centre 2008 Trafalgar Square Installation: "Vancouverism" Cedar Sculpture London, UK Public square 2008 Aberdeen Centre addition and condominium development Richmond, BC Residential structure 2008 SAIT Polytechnic Master Plan Calgary, AB Educational institute 2007 Trinity Uptown planning and urban design study Fort Worth, TX Mixed-use development 2006 Central City Shopping Centre, Simon Fraser University campus and office integration Surrey, BC Educational institution and retail development 2004 Acadia Residence Vancouver, BC Residence 2004 Aberdeen Centre Richmond, BC Retail, entertainment development 2004 City of Dalian Master Plan Dalian, China City plan 1995 City of Yuxi Master Plan Yuxi, China City plan 1999 Chan Centre for the Performing Arts Vancouver, BC Performing arts structure 1997 The Bing Thom Building Vancouver, BC Condominium Tower 1994 Canada Pavilion at Expo '92 Seville, Spain General structure 1992 Homer Tower Vancouver, BC Condominium Tower 1992 False Creek Yacht Club Vancouver, BC General structure 1989 The Pointe Vancouver, BC Residential development 1995 Sun Sui Wah Restaurant Vancouver, BC Restaurant 1995 Pacific Canada Pavilion, Vancouver Aquarium Vancouver, BC General structure 1998 Mayfair Lakes Golf Course Clubhouse Richmond, BC General structure 1993 Shon Residence Vancouver, BC Residence 1988Northwest Territories Pavilion, Expo 86 Vancouver, BC General structure 1986 Hong Kong Pavilion, Expo '86 Vancouver, BC General structure 1986Bing Thom Architects Offices Vancouver, BC Office 1982
Awards and honors Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia Award in Architecture: The Butterfly, 2025 International Architecture Award, Skyscrapers/High Rises: The Butterfly, 2025 Future House Award: The Butterfly, 2025 Canadian Architect Award of Excellence: The Butterfly, 2021 Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Medal for Excellence in Architecture: Guildford Aquatic Centre, 2016http://awards.aibc.ca/award-recipients/2016-recipients/ 2016 Recipients - AIBC Awards Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Certificate of Merit for Excellence in Architecture: Surrey City Centre Public Library, 2013http://awards.aibc.ca/award-recipients/2013-recipients/ 2013 Recipients - AIBC Awards Margolese National Design for Living Prize, School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at the University of British Columbia, 2013 Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award Winner, Canadian Immigrant Magazine, 2012 Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Gold Medal, 2011https://raic.org/raic/gold-medal-%E2%80%94-2011-recipient Gold Medal - 2011 Recipient, RAIC Website Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Certificate of Merit: SAIT Polytechnic Parkade, 2011 Architectural Firm Award, Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, 2010 LL.D. honoris causa, University of British Columbia, 2008 Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Certificate of Merit for Excellence in Architecture: Aberdeen Centre, 2007 Excellence on the Waterfront Award, The Waterfront Center: The Trinity Uptown Plan, 2005 Merit Award, Landscape Analysis & Planning, Boston Society of Landscape Architects: The Trinity Uptown Plan, 2005 LL.D. honoris causa, Simon Fraser University, 2004 Special Jury Prize, Marché International des Professionnels de l'Immobilier: Surrey Central City, 2004 Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Medal in Architecture: Surrey Central City, 2004 Innovation Award, Architectural Institute of British Columbia: Surrey Central City, 2004 Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal, 2002 CIP Award for Planning Excellence, Canadian Institute of Planners: Conceptual Development Plan for the City Center of Yuxi, 2001 Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Medal: Pacific Canada Pavilion, Vancouver Aquarium, 2000 Innovation Award, Architectural Institute of British Columbia: Pacific Canada Pavilion, Vancouver Aquarium, 2000' Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Medal: Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, 1998 USITT Merit Award, United States Institute for Theater Technology: Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, 1998 Member of the Order of Canada, 1995 Winner, Canadian National Selection (Canada Pavilion, Seville Expo '92, 1992 Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Medal: False Creek Yacht Club, 1992 Governor General Medal, Royal Architectural Institute of Canada: Point Grey Road Condominiums, 1990 Governor General Medal, Royal Architectural Institute of Canada: False Creek Yacht Club, 1990 Excellence on the Waterfront Award, The Waterfront Center: False Creek Yacht Club, 1990
Further reading Canada Pavilion: Expo '92 Seville, Spain, Bing Thom Architects, Inc., 1992 Dalian New Town : Between Mountains and Sea, Bing Thom Architects, Inc., 1994 Scale + Timbre, The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts by Neill Archer Roan, Black Dog Publishing, 2002 Bing Thom Works by Bing Thom. Douglas & McIntyre & Princeton Architectural Press, 2011Bing Thom Works - Princeton Architectural Press https://www.papress.com/html/book.details.page.tpl?isbn=9781568989594
Gallery
References
External links Bing Thom Architects web site Bing Wing Thom at Encyclopedia of Music in Canada Bing Thom speaking on Vancouver's development at an SFU City Program lecture (1 February 2008, mp3 link) The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts Arena Stage, Washington DC Surrey Central City Simon Fraser University Surrey Aberdeen Centre