When Canada hosted the 1997 APEC Conference in Vancouver, a public focal point was needed as an outdoor "embassy" to greet citizens and leaders from 18 countries in the Asia Pacific region. Acting as a temporary pavilion for the Prime Minister's reception, the structure was located on the Georgia Street plaza of the Vancouver Art Gallery as a symbolic meeting place of economic minds. The structure was designed by VIA and erected in less than 3 weeks. All elements had to be pre-engineered and fabricated off-site by a variety of manufacturers in order to ensure minimal assembly time. The tensile wood beam structure showcased local talents and technologies with reference to the interconnectedness of the APEC member nations, and Canada's role in spearheading sustainable urban development.