Urban planner Stanley Kwok combined high density and livability in Expo 86 redevelopment

Stanley Kwok was a central figure in 1980s and 1990s Vancouver: a developer, architect and planner who oversaw the redevelopment of the Expo 86 lands, and who helped lay the foundation for an urban planning approach that came to be known as “Vancouverism.”

The hugely successful plan he helped create combined dense residential and commercial space, parks and amenities near transit, with open public spaces, light, views and enough breathing space to ensure a high standard of livability.

The redevelopment of the Expo 86 lands is widely believed to have set the city on course to become a major draw for foreign investment, making it one of the world’s most expensive cities for real estate.