A Twist of the Rules: The Architecture of Paul Merrick

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Paul Merrick, Sketch of the Merrick House (West Vancouver), n. d.

ink on paper. Courtesy of Alastair Johnstone and Jeanette Langmann.

A Twist of the Rules: The Architecture of Paul Merrick

About the Exhibition

A resident of West Vancouver for six decades, architect Paul Merrick has had a significant hand in shaping the skylines of West Vancouver, Vancouver, Victoria, and far beyond. He studied architecture at UBC and worked initially with Ron Thom at Thompson, Berwick and Pratt. Becoming Practice Chair there, he designed significant residential and commercial projects, such as Cathedral Place, in Vancouver. He went on to co-found his own practice, Paul Merrick Architects—now known as Merrick Architecture–Borowski Sakumoto McIntyre and Webb—in 1984. Over the course of his career, he contributed to the early plans for the development of False Creek, as well as overseeing the design of City Square, the renovations of the Orpheum Theatre and the West Vancouver Memorial Library, and the retro-fitting of the Marine and the BC Hydro Electra Buildings. His residential projects include the notable Killey residence in Vancouver and his own residence in the Eagle Harbour neighborhood of West Vancouver. Built in 1973, this latter house is an extraordinary feat of wood and glass, nestled in the forest, and frequently classified as “carpenter Gothic.” This exhibition showcases 12 of Merrick’s most important projects spanning his career of 60-plus years, exploring his design hallmarks and granting insight into his process.

About the Architect

Paul Merrick was born in 1938 in Vancouver. He is an original co-founder of the practice Merrick Architecture–Borowski Sakumoto McIntyre and Webb. The recipient of multiple awards, Merrick is a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and, in 2014, was the recipient of the Architectural Institute of British Columbia’s Lifetime Achievement Award.