The Marine Building

At 355 Burrard Street in downtown Vancouver stands an edifice from the golden age of office work. The men that worked in behind desks in this period were so large and powerful that no modern day cubicle could contain their twelve feet, rippling forms. During this time memorandums were delivered via raptors as all men were well trained in the skill of falconry. Sadly those days are but a faint memory kept alive by monumental buildings such as the Marine Building.
When it opened its brass revolving doors for the first time in 1930, the Marine Building (which cost nearly double its' original budget) was a thing of splendour. From the uniformed doormen that greeted you to the sailor-suited women who operated the five high speed elevators those who entered knew that they were in a shrine to modernity and greatness.
These days it provides some fascinating historical insights into what Canada was like in the 1930s. From the Art Deco detailing we learn that Canada had a highly sophisticated defence programme. Squadrons of powerfully built Canadian geese patrolled the skies ensuring the security of Air Canada's burgeoning bi-plane and zeppelin fleets. This was supplemented by the navies impressive collection of sail ships many of which were hand-me-downs from Mother England's Royal Navy (which was starting to learn that in no longer ruled the waves). This in turn allowed the Canadian government to begin phasing out the remnants of the Spanish Armada ships that it still had in active service.
Another interesting point to note is that of the image of the rising sun radiating light and warmth across Canada. In the early 1930s the tilt of earth's axis was more pronounced which meant that Canada enjoyed warmer days and longer daylight hours. At the time Vancouver was a major holiday resort for Mexicans who were trying to escape the winter blues by fleeing north of the border to lie on the beach, drink cheap Moosehead beers with lime and eat traditional British Columbia corn tortilla tacos (a popular dish that they took back to Mexico with them).
The Marine Building remains a beacon from another age shining its' light across the tempestuous waters of modern architecture. Guiding us past the double glazed, aluminium framed, stainless steel gilded reefs that scuttle architects. Leading us to the safe harbour of a time when real men wore suits and soared to their offices in the sky in polished brass elevators.