Golden Tree Sculpture by Douglas Coupland

📍 Location: 2656 Canada Line Bikeway, Vancouver, BC V6P 3J5
🚆 Nearest Transit: Marine Drive Station (Canada Line)

A Modern Tribute to Vancouver’s Iconic Hollow Tree

The Golden Tree is a striking 43-foot public art sculpture created by renowned Canadian artist Douglas Coupland, located near Marine Gateway at the intersection of SW Marine Drive and Cambie Street in Vancouver. Gleaming in 3D-printed gold brilliance, this monumental work stands as a modern echo of the legendary Hollow Tree in Stanley Park, one of the city’s most beloved natural landmarks.

What makes the Golden Tree so captivating is its ability to bridge past and future, nature and technology, and memory and transformation. While the original Hollow Tree is a decaying 800-year-old Western red cedar, the Golden Tree is a futuristic reinterpretation — a mirror image of what once was, cast in synthetic materials and covered in a radiant gold finish.

The Artist’s Vision

Douglas Coupland’s connection to the Hollow Tree is deeply personal and symbolic. In his artist statement, Coupland reflects on his childhood fascination with massive redwood stumps in California and the cultural ritual of using cars to measure their size — a now-outdated symbol of human dominance over nature.

Coupland recalls a surreal moment in 1995 when his stolen VW Beetle was abandoned inside the Hollow Tree by joyriders, only to be discovered by Vancouver Police. This bizarre personal story adds a layer of intimacy to the project, showing how the tree exists in public memory and personal histories alike.

Following a devastating windstorm in 2006 that damaged the Hollow Tree, the City of Vancouver initially planned to remove it. However, public outcry and a dedicated preservation effort led by the Hollow Tree Conservation Society saved the stump from demolition. Despite restoration efforts, Coupland saw its inevitable decay and sought to immortalize its essence in a bold new form — thus giving birth to the Golden Tree.

Symbolism and Interpretation

More than just a sculpture, the Golden Tree is a reflection of urban transformation and Vancouver’s evolving relationship with nature. As Coupland notes, the sculpture is often seen by newcomers before the original Hollow Tree, reversing the traditional order of experience — much like reading chapters of a book out of sequence. And yet, that unpredictability mirrors life in a growing, ever-changing city.

The Golden Tree invites us to rethink our understanding of natural icons in an urban context. It also raises questions:

• Can we preserve nature’s legacy through art?

• How do we honour a place’s cultural memory while looking toward the future?

Visiting the Golden Tree

The sculpture stands prominently outside Marine Drive SkyTrain Station on the Canada Line, making it easily accessible for locals and tourists alike. Surrounded by modern buildings and bustling commuters, the Golden Tree shines as a surreal forest sentinel amid Vancouver’s urban jungle.

Whether you're a resident who grew up with the Hollow Tree or a visitor discovering Vancouver for the first time, the Golden Tree offers a moment of reflection, wonder, and connection.

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