Renowned Vancouver architect Bing Thom, famous for designing buildings around the world, has died at age 75, his firm announced Tuesday.
Thom suffered a brain aneurism Tuesday while on a trip to Hong Kong, and died in the afternoon, according to a statement by Bing Thom Architects.
His wife of 50 years, Bonnie Thom, was by his side. In a post on the company’s website, she said her husband’s life’s work culminated in the Xiqu theater in his beloved Hong Kong, his homecoming project.
Some of Thom’s well known projects include UBC’s Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, the Central City project with Simon Fraser University, the Mead Centre for American Theater in Washington DC, and the Pacific Canada Pavilion at the Vancouver Aquarium. Also close to home he designed the Aberdeen Centre in Richmond and the Hong Kong Pavilion at Expo 86.
Bonnie Thom said her husband believed architecture transcends the building, and is meant to “shine its light” onto its surroundings.
“He was so happy his architects also pursued this adventure of ‘building beyond buildings.'” she said.
Renowned Vancouver architect Bing Thom, famous for designing buildings around the world, has died, his firm announced Tuesday. Bing Thom poses for a photo in front of poster of Xiqu Centre in the office, in Vancouver, BC, September, 25, 2014.
The Vancouver Concert Hall and Theatre Society proposed a new concert hall Friday, March 4, 2011 to be built underneath the existing Vancouver art gallery in downtown Vancouver, BC by 2017. In attendance was architect Bing Thom.
![Bing Thom, architect - pictured infront of his latest project at the Surrey City Centre Mall... He will be putting up tallest building in Vancouver... Mulgrew story-cityside... Bill Keay Photo/Vancouver Sun... [PNG Merlin Archive]](http://wpmedia.vancouversun.com/2016/10/sun0626n-thom1-surrey-bing-thom-architect-pictured.jpeg?w=640)
Bing Thom is pictured in front of the Surrey City Centre Mall. Bill Keay Photo/Vancouver Sun
The new Sunset Community centre, designed by architect Bing Thom.
BING THOM, one of Vancouver’s most famous international architects, in his studio.
Born in Hong Kong in 1940, Thom later immigrated to Canada where he received his bachelor of architecture at the University of B.C. He later earned a masters degree in architecture at the University of California at Berkley. His career began at the offices of Fumihiko Maki and Arthur Erickson before he started his own firm, Bing Thom Architects in 1982.
“Bing Thom was a mentor to so many young architects young and old, sharing his values and passion for creating beautiful spaces and places that better communities,” the company said, in a statement.
“He was never afraid to speak his mind. He saw himself first as a public servant and held a belief in the transformative power of great architecture to uplift not only the physical but also the economic and social conditions of a community.”
Vancouver city councillors held a minute of silence before Tuesday’s council meeting to mark the death of Thom. Mayor Gregor Robertson said he and others on council were deeply saddened by his death.
Robertson said he was “one of Vancouver’s most accomplished and treasured architects, a friend to many of us and a true visionary whose work helping build our city and many others will last many lifetimes.”
Thom had an enormous gift to create beautiful spaces and places that really matter to the community, Robertson said, pointing as one example to the architect’s Chan Centre for the Performing Arts.
“Bing has left a deep impression on Vancouver and his legacy of using architecture to improve our city and urban environment will be treasured for generations to come. We will miss him greatly,” Robertson said, offering condolences to his family.
“Thank you Bing Thom. We will miss your smile.”
“Under his mentorship, I grew not just as a designer but also through his example, as a leader,” he said.
In a 1997 interview with the Vancouver Sun’s John Mackie, Thom a successful architect has to be a generalist: ”Part artist, part economist, part politician, part psychologist, part marketer, and part media person.”
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