Aik Ablimit lives and breathes Granville Street, so much that around the office, he’s jokingly referred to as the “Mayor of Granville.”

Aik is celebrating his tenth anniversary at Perkins&Will’s Vancouver studio this June, where he works as an architect and Senior Associate. If you aren’t familiar with the firm, Perkins&Will is “a global architecture and design firm grounded in purposeful design, sustainability, and social responsibility,” and has been doing significant work along Granville Street and throughout downtown Vancouver. One of the values that defines the company is their “strong commitment to continuity – staying involved with places over time and helping them evolve thoughtfully rather than treating projects as isolated moments,” Aik shares.

Having lived in Vancouver for over a decade, he reflects that “Vancouver has been an incredibly meaningful place to grow both personally and professionally,” adding that “working in the downtown core – particularly along Granville Street – means being deeply engaged with the city’s most complex urban conversations around culture, safety, density, and how buildings contribute to everyday life over time.” In fact, helping shape Granville Street’s evolution over time has been one of his biggest career highlights to date.

He also shared that a recent quote that resonates with him comes from the 2026 State of Downtown event, where Downtown Van President & CEO Jane Talbot stated, “If Granville succeeds, downtown succeeds—if Granville does not succeed, downtown won’t.”

In longstanding collaboration with the Bonnis family—whose deep roots and sustained commitment to Granville Street and Vancouver’s downtown core have shaped the corridor over generations—Aik’s work in the Entertainment District includes the adaptive reuse of 672 Granville for Winners, the recently completed 900 Granville as well as the rezoned office tower at 526 Granville and the submitted rezoning application for 1105 Granville.

Pictured: Mockup of 526 Granville (Perkins&Will)

He also highlights the recent Council approval of 800 Granville, which is set to completely revitalize the Entertainment District, with a long-term vision for the street and downtown core.

Pictured: Mockup of 800 Granville – Street View (Perkins&Will)

Pictured: Mockup of 800 Granville – Aerial View (Perkins&Will)

Aik is extremely proud that Perkins&Will is part of the unfolding story of Granville Street, which he hopes remains a place “[his] three kids can one day wander, gather and experience the vibrant energy of downtown.”

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