The Canadian National Pavilion designed, by Peter Cardew, has an elaborate staircase at its entrance.
During a transformative decade in which Vancouver hosted Expo 86, Cardew designed the C.N. (Canadian National) Pavilion to showcase the Canadian National Railways. It was conceived as a fully exposed steel framework wrapping around a cylinder theatre, which could only be entered by a bridge. Because of the poor condition of the site, Cardew designed the main structure as a grand steel canopy suspended by a gantry system with three foundation locations. This structural design not only embraced the surrounding beautiful harbour views, but also provided better accessibility for visitors. This pavilion took cues from 19th century railway terminals and was a counterpoint to the traditional design of exposition pavilions at the time. This exhibition pavilion received the Canadian Architect Award of Excellence in 1985. 
