{"id":339348,"date":"2025-12-12T01:01:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T01:01:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/339348\/"},"modified":"2025-12-12T01:01:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T01:01:08","slug":"architect-credited-with-reshaping-vancouvers-false-creek-dead-at-98","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/339348\/","title":{"rendered":"Architect credited with reshaping Vancouver\u2019s False Creek dead at 98"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.<\/p>\n

Stanley Kwok, the architect and urban planner credited with reshaping some of B.C.\u2019s most iconic cityscapes, has died at the age of 98.<\/p>\n

Born in January 1927 in Shanghai, Kwok went on to study architecture at the University of Shanghai, and began his career in Hong Kong where he designed more than 200 buildings, according to Royal Roads University<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In 1968, Kwok relocated to Canada where he became an avid skier \u2014 and had a major influence on architecture and urban planning.<\/p>\n

Victoria architect Chris Gower told CBC\u2019s On The Island Kwok\u2019s work was a reflection of his character.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was an extremely affable, open, humane, good-humoured person,\u201d Gower said. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt kind of reflects the tenor of his work: publicly-oriented, very good interface, discussions with the public, yet the real emphasis on high-intensity development.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once in Vancouver, Kwok co-founded Canadian Freehold Properties, where he designed Victoria\u2019s Laurel Point Inn.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In the 80s, he led the planning and building of the north shore of Vancouver\u2019s False Creek.<\/p>\n

\"AThe northeast shore of Vancouver’s False Creek, which Kwok was credited with revitalizing. (Ben Nelms\/CBC)<\/p>\n

Gower says Kwok\u2019s connection to Hong Kong was key for Vancouver development.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In Kwok\u2019s obituary<\/a>, his family says he \u201cchampioned a pedestrian-focused waterfront, generous public spaces, and the inclusion of social housing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe believed cities should be built for people \u2014 and he spent a lifetime proving what that could mean,” the online obituary reads.<\/p>\n

In a 2023 Vancouver Sun story<\/a>, Kwok is quoted as saying the era of single-family housing is over in Metro Vancouver, suggesting the region be \u201cupzoned\u201d so that more highrises could be built to accommodate population growth.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cOther cities have grown up that way. It\u2019s just a different way of living. Why do we have to stick to the past?\u201d he told writer Douglas Todd.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kwok also served on several boards, including Expo 86, the B.C. Cancer Foundation and the Vancouver Foundation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In 2012, he received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Royal Roads University for his contributions to community building. <\/p>\n

The exact cause of Kwok’s death was not shared by his family.<\/p>\n

He is survived by his wife Eva Lee Kwok, four children, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Listen to this article Estimated 2 minutes The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":339349,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[76,354,355,49,48,356,75],"class_list":["post-339348","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-artsanddesign","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-design","tag-entertainment"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/339348","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=339348"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/339348\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/339349"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=339348"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=339348"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=339348"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}