The windows issue is indeed a BC step code issue, and not all jurisdictions in the province are immediately adopting the Step Code.

Well I give you a brief taste of 21st century architectural...Europe: and do note I am not saying we should emulate these examples below precisely but rather I hold them up as possibilities of the types of things we can do here, yes? If not - why not? Please elaborate in that case.

Unless of course you subscribe to the notion that we're a bunch of hicks out here somehow less able or less skilled at doing so. More likely IMO we're simply afraid...of the modern, the new, the daring and yes the "radical". Fortunately the Europeans are progressive in that sense and have no such limitations in their thinking, quite clearly.

And for those elements locally - and they exist in spades, or certainly did not so long ago - who would cry out "But but BUT these buildings aren't sensitive to our history!" I would say "B******!" How was the Empress Hotel when brand new "sensitive" to local FN buildings, structures and architecture and "history"? It wasn't: it was NEW and RADICAL and TALL, being the mega-skyscraper of its era when first built compared especially to the older Ft Victoria buildings that still existed at the time.

Imagine what we COULD do on Ship Point if we only had the vision and the will? Ditto for Old Town (although thank God we have Chris LeFevre doing his best to take care of that steaming mess). Ditto the Ogden Pt Cruise Terminal lands. Ditto the Rock Bay area. Ditto...ahem...Harris Green.

http://squareone.blog/10-must-see-modern-architectural-marvels-in-london/

https://www.villasinternacional.com/a-review-of-spanish-modern-architecture/

https://www.inspire-metz.com/en/?id_lg=en&liste_motclef=news/amphitheater-district-a-new-business-location-in-the-centre-of-metz-metropole_-n

https://museedelaromanite.fr/en/

http://squareone.blog/10-must-see-modern-architectural-marvels-in-london/

https://www.villasinternacional.com/a-review-of-spanish-modern-architecture/

https://www.inspire-metz.com/en/?id_lg=en&liste_motclef=news/amphitheater-district-a-new-business-location-in-the-centre-of-metz-metropole_-n

https://museedelaromanite.fr/en/

These examples of “innovative” architecture are funny. The London examples in particular are examples of embarrassing architecture associated with the disastrous mayorship of Boris Johnson. Some innovation is fine, but let’s not fill Victoria with kitschy Shanghai-esque embarrassments.

Again I am constrained to point out I merely held these up as possibilities, things to think about - i.e. IOW architectural styles that exist and prove there_are options other than your standard North American 'box' mid or high rise. By no means was I suggesting a Shard-style building being plopped onto Dallas Rd....

My latest article is all about this development.

https://www.sidewalkingvictoria.com/blog/2021/1/17/harris-green-village-the-problems-and-opportunity-of-a-massive-new-project