BC Place Stadium, 1983/2011

• Constructed 1983, 2011
• Location Vancouver, BC
• Architects
  Studio Phillips Barratt (1983)
  Stantec (2011)
• Structural Engineer
  Geiger Berger Engineers (1983)
  Geiger Engineers with Schlaic Bergermann and Partners (2011)
• Use Civic
• Recognition

When it opened in 1983, BC Place Stadium was said to be the largest air-supported dome in the world, a white Teflon roof colloquially referred to as the “marshmallow in bondage.” The day after a grand opening ceremony, the first event was a victorious Vancouver Whitecaps soccer game against the Seattle Sounders. Designed by Studio Phillips Barratt, BC Place was built to replace the former 1954 Empire Stadium at the Pacific National Exhibition and was constructed in the lead up to Expo 86 World Exposition. On what was then largely industrial lands surrounding False Creek, the stadium was placed in what would, over the following decades, become a densely populated downtown core, seamlessly integrated into Vancouver’s walkable urban fabric, and unique among North American stadiums. You might remember entering the building through turnstile doors, critical to supporting 16 large fans in maintaining the air pressure necessary to keep the roof inflated.

In the days after the Closing Ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic & Paralympic Games, the stadium closed for a little over a year to undertake the replacement of its iconic roof. The marshmallow was deflated one last time and replaced by what is said to be the largest cable-supported retractable roof of its kind. 36 steel masts now tower over the stadium, holding steel cables that suspend fixed fabric panels over the audience and a retractable portion over the field. The profile of the roof was also heightened to include transparent industrial-strength plastic panels that allow more natural light into the arena and serve as a canvas for a nightly LED light display of animated graphics and messaging for various causes and civic celebrations.

Over 43 years, BC Place has played host to the Expo 86 World Exposition, the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic & Paralympic Games, the 2014 NHL Heritage Classic, a 2007 friendly match between the Whitecaps and LA Galaxy with David Beckham, 8 CFL Grey Cup Championships, and the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. It has seen visits from Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles & Princess Diana, Pope John Paul II, and has hosted world tours by The Rolling Stones, U2, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, and the final shows of Taylor Swift’s 2024 Eras Tour. In 2026, it hosted 7 matches during the FIFA World Cup. BC Place is the home stadium for the BC Lions football club, the Vancouver Whitecaps soccer club, and the annual Canada Sevens tournament.