Andesite | As seen in the wonderful Vancouver Matters, Andesite is a hard volcanic rock quarried on Haddington Island. It was the preferred material for the exteriors of the larger buildings constructed in Vancouver and Victoria, especially for the centres of finance and power (see the Royal Bank building at 675 West Hastings, the Vancouver Art Gallery, Hotel Vancouver, and the Parliament Buildings in Victoria).

Usage: “Pardon me while I nerd out for a second, but check out the andesite facade on that building…”