Situated adjacent to two historic buildings, the new Jameson House development was designed with a consideration for rehabilitating and incorporating the existing structures, as well as creating a sustainable tower to house both residential and office programs. The Vancouver locale offered opportunities for strong viewing corridors as well as passive environmental solutions. The final form of the building was derived from complex solar, wind, and sight line studies, and allows for a wide array of outdoor planted areas.

The first two stories of the structure correspond to the adjacent 1920s Art Deco buildings—the Ceperley Rounsfell Building and the Royal Building—and the scale of the pedestrian street level. The original buildings, which had fallen into disrepair, were restored and incorporated into the ground floor plan of the new tower development. The historical section of the podium houses new retail, while the new development creates entrances for the office and residential areas in the tower.

Above the two-story podium is a landscaped public park for the building occupants, extending over the renovated roof of the neighboring Ceperley Rounsfell Building. Eight levels of offices extend above in a sleek rectilinear glazed cube, the top level of which corresponds to the cornice height of the nearest building located at the corner. This volume contrasts with the rest of the tower, which houses the residential apartments.

Twenty-six stories of residences create the main distinctive form of the building, delineating four curving bays which house living spaces and terraces. These bays step back to provide shade and allow for views of the nearby Coast Mountain range. The two penthouse units have their own rooftop terraces, which are planted green spaces.

Though the tower was developed as a modern addition to the Vancouver urban fabric, it was designed with great care to integrate with its historic setting and engage its users from all areas: the street level, public gardens, and private terraces. The formal approach for the structure was guided entirely by directional wind profile and solar exposure studies. Placing primary importance on climactic factors in creating the form of the tower created a more sustainable approach for the overall building while also providing a striking addition to the Vancouver skyline.

The design approach for the building was an integrated one, involving the architects, city officials, and structural and environmental engineers from the outset to provide a dense, mixed-use building with sustainable features. After working with the city, the planners were able to significantly increase the density of the development by including several uses; this allows the building to be used 24 hours a day, furthering its sustainability and flexibility.

Many features of the building contribute to its passive and energy-saving goals. A main attribute, the mechanized valet parking system, reduced the number of needed parking levels and excavation depth, as well as the need for additional lighting and ventilation. The form of the building reduces thermal loads by providing shading and allows opportunities for passive ventilation, as well as promotes daylighting. Lastly, the rooftop terraces and planted garden areas provide green space to the building occupants, and are irrigated with water from a rainwater harvesting system to reduce demand on the water supply.