The Stack, 1133 Melville Street

Lead Designers Ellie Niakan

Entry Description

The 37-storey tower, Vancouver’s tallest office building, required a lighting design that honored its modern architecture while resonating with the surrounding urban fabric of older neighbors. Inside, the lighting serves a diverse tenant community, elevating the three-storey lobby and interconnected floors while establishing a spatial rhythm that intuitively guides visitors.

The design is both cohesive and distinctive, allowing each space to express its own character while celebrating luxurious materials—warm wood ceilings, polished marble, and playful works of art. Inspired by theatrical design, the concept embraces a layered approach: top, side, and back lighting animate the interiors through techniques such as downlighting, uplighting, wall grazing, and wall washing. These layers sculpt shadows and bring drama to the cathedral-like elevator lobbies and the three-storey woven cord art installation, while a soft glow highlights the natural warmth of the wood ceilings.

Symmetry in luminaire layouts creates balance, while discreet ceiling troughs conceal all devices for a refined, uncluttered elegance. Minimalist luminaires disappear into the architecture, maintaining comfort and visual harmony. Beyond the glass curtain wall, illuminated trees and dramatic V-columns extend the design outward, weaving together inside and out to create a seamless, atmospheric experience.

Sustainability Approach

The 37-storey building is North America’s first high-rise to meet both Zero Carbon Building Design standards and LEED Platinum certification. Luminaires with optimized optics were selected to maximize efficiency. Their minimalist forms reduce aluminum use. The team selected Canadian-made luminaires wherever possible to help cut CO? emissions from transport and manufacturing. Glass curtain walls bring natural light deep into the interiors, further reducing reliance on artificial lighting.
A DALI-based control system provides flexibility, with pre-programmed scenes that adapt to each space and shift throughout the day and year. Light levels automatically lower during curfew hours or weekends further reducing energy use. Occupancy and daylight sensors are precisely calibrated to ensure maximum efficiency, delivering sustainability without sacrificing comfort or quality.

Company Description

Introba Light Studio provides expert consulting services around all aspects of the luminous environment. We see an inherent link not only between daylighting and electric lighting design, but also between the illuminated environment and all other aspects of the built environment. This integrated mindset reveals connections between lighting, user comfort, human experience, façade design, sustainable design solution, and art/culture.