why do all the buildings in vancouver look the same
Architecture of Vancouver In the years following World War II, regional variations of modernism began to emerge, known as West Coast-style (particularly West Coast contemporary style). Building constraints in the area led to inventive designs to make construction feasible, as well as to take advantage of the scenery. This led to the development of designs that use complex geometric forms, open-plan layouts, and the desire for natural light, leading to the extensive use of glass.[1] This usage of glass has since proliferated itself into the designs of commercial buildings in Vancouver. Because the region's temperate climate and less-harsh sun makes having large walls of non-heat and sun-reflecting glass feasible, many high-rises in Downtown Vancouver have favoured transparent glass aesthetics. The predominance of glass has led to the city moniker “City of Glass” and "See Through City".[2][3]
Palace of Westminster The subsequent competition for the reconstruction of the Palace was won by the architect Charles Barry, whose design was for new buildings in the Gothic Revival style, specifically inspired by the English Perpendicular Gothic style of the 14th–16th centuries. The remains of the Old Palace (except the detached Jewel Tower) were incorporated into its much larger replacement, which contains over 1,100 rooms organised symmetrically around two series of courtyards and has a floor area of 112,476 m2 (1,210,680 sq ft).[1] Part of the New Palace's area of 3.24 hectares (8 acres) was reclaimed from the Thames, which is the setting of its nearly 300-metre long (980 ft) façade,[1] called the River Front. Barry was assisted by Augustus Pugin, a leading authority on Gothic architecture and style, who designed the interior of the Palace. Construction started in 1840 and lasted for 30 years, suffering great delays and cost overruns, as well as the death of both leading architects; works for the interior decoration continued intermittently well into the 20th century. Major conservation work has been carried out since then to reverse the effects of London's air pollution, and extensive repairs took place after the Second World War, including the reconstruction of the Commons Chamber following its bombing in 1941.