Bing Thom

Bing Wing Thom (8 December 1940 – 4 October 2016) was a Canadian architect and urban designer.

Early life Bing Wing Thom (Chinese: 譚秉榮) was born of December 8, 1940 in Hong Kong and emigrated to Vancouver with his family in 1949. His paternal grandfather had emigrated to Vancouver in the 1890s and his father was born in New Westminster before moving to Hong Kong after being unable to practice as a pharmacist in Canada.

In 1966, Thom received a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of British Columbia (UBC) then a Master of Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley. He spent two years teaching at the National University of Singapore, then returned to Vancouver and taught at UBC for another two years. In 1971, he moved to Tokyo to work for Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki.

Career In 1973, his former teacher Arthur Erickson Architects asked him to act as project director on the Robson Square Courthouse Complex. Thom had a life-long interest in landscaping and embraced the challenge of the project, which involved putting a full landscape over a man-made structure and creating a 4-block roof garden; the project, which involved thousands of plants, was complex—he and landscape architect Cornelia Oberlander went so far as to create their own soil. In a 1990 interview, Thom said that he was an architect first, but would never design a building without also designing the landscape, saying "The building must grow from the ground, and the landscaping is the foundation. Each building must sit correctly on that setting, while relating to the landscape. So the landscape is actually more important than the building. Many architects don't realize that landscaping is essential to architecture—that buildings and gardens are inter-related and indivisible. I start every design by looking at the property's characteristics—the way the sun shines, the wind blows, the location, the view. I use plants only, never anything artificial. And I always use vegetation from the building's locale. We must remember that we can't fight nature. We have to work with it." directors, registered architects, architectural graduate and students, urban designers and planners, and support staff. Thom also had offices in Hong Kong and Washington D.C. and, in 2010, was awarded the Architectural Firm of the Year award by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC).

Thom's firm spent its first few years working on numerous private homes, condominium towers, and pavilions for Vancouver's Expo 86, including the top-rated Northwest Territories Pavilion, a $2.8 million iceberg, with a coating of shimmering glass granules. This led to the commission to design the Canada Pavilion at Expo '92 in Seville. For this, Thom needed to express the Canadian spirit in a way that would fit with Spanish architecture. Canada is the world's largest exporter of zinc, so Thom used thick zinc-tiled walls to control heat and included a cool, landscaped courtyard and a cascading water wall. Visitors waited in line for as long as eight hours to get into the pavilion, but they did so in a shaded colonnade. The structure also included a performance stage, exhibit hall, restaurant, art gallery and a 500-seat IMAX Theatre. It was one of the most popular pavilions at the fair, garnered major global recognition and became the only international pavilion permanently retained as a legacy building.

In 1995, Thom was made a Member of the Order of Canada and received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal for outstanding service to his country. He was a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and received honorary degrees from UBC and Simon Fraser University—he was also named Honorary Professor by Singapore's Tongji University. In 2011 he was awarded the RAIC's highest honour, the RAIC Gold Medal.

Personal life and death Thom was married to Bonnie Koo, a landscaper, for over 50 years; they had no children. While on a trip to Hong Kong, Thom suffered a brain aneurysm and died on October 4, 2016 at the age of 75.

Works The full records of Thom's projects, drawings and proposals can be found at the University of Calgary Archives.

Awards and honors Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia Award in Architecture: The Butterfly, 2025 International Architecture Award, Skyscrapers/High Rises: The Butterfly, 2025 Future House Award: The Butterfly, 2025 Canadian Architect Award of Excellence: The Butterfly, 2021 Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Medal for Excellence in Architecture: Guildford Aquatic Centre, 2016 Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Certificate of Merit for Excellence in Architecture: Surrey City Centre Public Library, 2013 Margolese National Design for Living Prize, School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at the University of British Columbia, 2013 Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award Winner, Canadian Immigrant Magazine, 2012 Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Gold Medal, 2011 Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Certificate of Merit: SAIT Polytechnic Parkade, 2011 Architectural Firm Award, Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, 2010 LL.D. honoris causa, University of British Columbia, 2008 Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Certificate of Merit for Excellence in Architecture: Aberdeen Centre, 2007 Excellence on the Waterfront Award, The Waterfront Center: The Trinity Uptown Plan, 2005 Merit Award, Landscape Analysis & Planning, Boston Society of Landscape Architects: The Trinity Uptown Plan, 2005 LL.D. honoris causa, Simon Fraser University, 2004 Special Jury Prize, Marché International des Professionnels de l'Immobilier: Surrey Central City, 2004 Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Medal in Architecture: Surrey Central City, 2004 Innovation Award, Architectural Institute of British Columbia: Surrey Central City, 2004 Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal, 2002 CIP Award for Planning Excellence, Canadian Institute of Planners: Conceptual Development Plan for the City Center of Yuxi, 2001 Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Medal: Pacific Canada Pavilion, Vancouver Aquarium, 2000 Innovation Award, Architectural Institute of British Columbia: Pacific Canada Pavilion, Vancouver Aquarium, 2000' Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Medal: Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, 1998 USITT Merit Award, United States Institute for Theater Technology: Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, 1998 Member of the Order of Canada, 1995 Winner, Canadian National Selection (Canada Pavilion, Seville Expo '92, 1992 Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Medal: False Creek Yacht Club, 1992 Governor General Medal, Royal Architectural Institute of Canada: Point Grey Road Condominiums, 1990 Governor General Medal, Royal Architectural Institute of Canada: False Creek Yacht Club, 1990 Excellence on the Waterfront Award, The Waterfront Center: False Creek Yacht Club, 1990