Master Builder Joo Kim Tiah Has Big Plans for Vancouver, Starting with Its Tallest Tower「青出於藍」畫出溫哥華更人性化的天際線房地產巨擘 • 程如錦
ENGLISH 英 : Deirdre Kelly • CHINESE 中 : Ophelie C.
Location: Paradox Hotel Vancouver, Mott 32 Vancouver, Penthouse 3, Paradox Residences
Photography: Gina Chong, Butter STudios • Editorial Assistant: Barbara Liu
Art Direction: Deborah Lau-Yu • Videography: Fête Chinoise Team
Fashion & Styling: Lisa Fang • MAKEUP & HAIR: Margaret Lai
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Joyce Li
Original Cabin in Bronze, Original Check-In M in Titanium, RIMOWA.
On a video call from his Vancouver office, Joo Kim Tiah sits with the city’s skyline behind him, a skyline he’s about to transform with what may be his most defining project yet.
The real estate developer’s vision: a $2.8-billion development that would rise from two downtown blocks, an architectural statement that will become Vancouver’s most ambitious mixed-use complex to date.
“We always thought the centre of the city could support a tall tower,” says the CEO of Holborn Group, referring to the anchor structure of a three-tower complex that will reshape the urban landscape with elegant towers inspired by the ancient glass sponge reefs that filter British Columbia’s coastal waters. “Now the timing is right.”
Rising from a vast public plaza designed to feel open rather than fortress-like, the complex would bring 1,561 new homes and a 920-room hotel to downtown Vancouver, along with 378 non-market homes, 273 secured market rental units, a childcare facility, an Indigenous art gallery and artist-in-residence spaces. The hotel tower would feature a three-level observation deck offering panoramic views and a moment of quiet above the city’s noise.
「我做生意從不為滿足自尊心，項目必須服務這裏的人，不只為富人興建，更要肩負推進城市發展的重任······我不是政客，房地產發展商的角色就是開發項目，確保項目發揮最大的潛能！」
說這句話的就是溫哥華發展商 Holborn Group 掌舵人 Joo Kim Tiah (程如錦)。訪問那天，Joo Kim 身處溫哥華的高樓辦公室，城市就在腳下，會議室正密鑼緊鼓計劃溫哥華迄今最具標誌性的建築項目：斥資二十八億加元於市中心興建的綜合地標，靈感取材自卑詩海岸罕見的玻璃海綿礁，勢將重塑溫哥華的城市景觀，甚至為當地面對的民生挑戰帶來一線轉機。他信心十足地說：「我覺得現在正是時機！」
The emphasis on inclusion reflects Tiah’s formative experience of exclusion, even as someone who now operates from a position of considerable influence. Born in 1979 to Chinese parents in Kuala Lumpur, he grew up in a minority community that was always second in line socially, politically, and institutionally. Though not necessarily economically disadvantaged, that early sensitivity to who gets included and who doesn’t now shapes his approach to urban development with an almost urgent desire to create spaces that feel accessible and seen.
“As a Chinese person growing up in Malaysia, we’re not like others. We don’t have the same rights,” he reflects. “That’s not necessarily a bad thing. You learn to be sensitive, more aware of what’s important to other people, what matters to them. It’s one step closer to understanding life,” Tiah shares in referring to society and culture.
Home had its own pressures. His father, Tony Tiah Thee Kian, is one of Malaysia’s most prominent business figures, a man who built a financial and property empire from scratch, known for bold deals and relentless ambition, but also for weathering controversy, including a high-profile allegation of stock manipulation in the early 2000s. Growing up in that environment meant learning early that the world could disappoint when you least expect it, and that resilience wasn’t optional.
He remembers the parable about a boy leaping into his father’s arms, trusting he’ll be caught. The first two times, his father is there. The third time, he steps aside and lets the child fall. The point was in business and when it concerns money, you can’t trust everyone a hundred per cent or have a blind trust in anyone as this will potentially lead you to significant disappointment and pain. And overall, that trust must be earned, that toughness matters more than comfort. “I grew up with my father always giving me a hard time, pushing me to be stronger. Yes, it was heavy. I’m scarred by it. But it also taught me resilience.”
地標發展建共融空間
項目包含遼闊的公共廣場，營造出開放的氛圍，同時提供一千五百六十一個住宅單位與九百二十間酒店客房，同時建有三百七十八間非市場住房以及二百七十三間市場住房、兒童設施、藝廊以及藝術家空間，大樓更設三層觀景台，大家可在這裏欣賞城市全景，遠離都市煩囂，享受片刻寧靜，也展現城市的多元、包容，讓不同階層能夠共處共融。
Joo Kim 的發展藍圖仔細地迎合各階層需要，與其成長經歷密不可分。出生於馬來西亞吉隆坡的他，父母程鐵建和陳桂芳是當地顯赫的拿督伉儷。雖然經濟上他和家人坐擁優勢，但少數族裔的華人身份令他及家人在當地社會、政治和制度上地位依然略遜一籌。種種成長經歷影響着他對城市發展的態度，令他渴望創造一個開放、平等、人人都可以享用的空間。「作為一個在馬來西亞長大的華人，我們不像其他人，不曾擁有相同的權利。
也許也不是壞事吧！你學會變得敏感、明白對其他人來說什麼是重要和關鍵。」
Even now, his dad remains the final authority on every deal. “The emperor is the emperor,” Tiah says, half-wry, half-reverent, acknowledging a relationship that has shaped both his business approach and his understanding of power dynamics.
The tenacity instilled in him by Tony proved crucial as his projects navigated Vancouver’s complex development landscape. The former Trump International Hotel & Tower Vancouver became a focal point of political debate until it was rebranded as Paradox Hotel Vancouver—his own luxury hotel brand, a move that demonstrated adaptability in changing times. While the Little Mountain redevelopment has faced delays, all 282 social housing units are currently under active construction and are expected to be completed by June 2026. Holborn is the only private developer building social housing ahead of market housing in today’s uncertain market—a reflection of its long-term commitment to the project and community.
His mother, Alicia, operated with different but equally demanding expectations. “With her, you do it or you don’t. No compromise.”
This binary thinking, shaped by both parents’ no-nonsense expectations, can still be felt in his boardroom decisions today. When it comes to quality and timelines, colleagues know him to be exacting—sometimes to a fault, but always with purpose.
名門背後的成長壓力
Joo Kim 父親程鐵建是馬來西亞商界的代表人物之一，白手起家創立龐大的金融與地產帝國。他母親陳桂芳同樣是商界精英，被譽為證券界的鐵腕女性。這樣的家世為他鋪好了舞台，也讓他從小享有較優越的資源。但同時他很早領悟到：現實可能讓人失望，而韌性從來不是選項，而是生存的必修課。
外界看他衣食無憂，但 Joo Kim 的童年不盡是無憂無慮。他憶述的童年滿載考驗和磨練：「我從小就習慣父親不會輕易讓我好過。他總是不斷製造挑戰，逼我變得更強。是的，我傷痕累累，但這些傷造就了今天的我。」
Joo Kim 坦言，即使現在，「父皇」仍然有每宗交易的最終決定權，他笑說：「皇上還是皇上。」這半開玩笑的話語，道出了父子之間既有敬畏也有繼承的微妙關係。
有一個有關父子相處的寓言深深影響着 Joo Kim：一個男孩撲進爸爸的懷抱，深信爸爸會接住自己。頭兩次爸爸都接住他；到第三次時，爸爸閃身而退，任由孩子跌落地上。Joo Kim 解說：「那不是出於殘忍，而是要讓人明白在涉及金錢的世界裡，信任不能草率釋出。」他說：「我學會不能盲目信任任何人，因為那可能讓你跌得很重。」
Slim-fit Jacket in Micro-patterned Stretch Jersey, Tapered-fit Trousers in Grey, Regular-fit T-Shirt with Structured Body in Grey, and Gary Leather Trainers, HUGO BOSS.
Slim-fit Jacket in Micro-patterned Stretch Jersey, Tapered-fit Trousers in Grey, Regular-fit T-Shirt with Structured Body in Grey, and Gary Leather Trainers, HUGO BOSS.
Tiah understands the fine balance of innovating in business, that it would not be wise to not take heed of wisdom, and yet not what everyone says is wise. “I listen and try to learn what applies, but I still prefer to trust my own judgment,” he says. “That’s what drives innovation in business. I’m always looking for ways to do things better or differently from everyone else, which is challenging and invigorating work.”
But becoming a father himself has changed the lens entirely. He has three children (ages five, three and ten months) and buildings are no longer just skyline statements. They’re places where children will run, artists will show their work, communities will gather. His latest proposal carries that vision: public plazas and cultural spaces designed to nurture connection and belonging.
“My children know they have a hundred per cent of me,” he says, a deliberate departure from his own upbringing. “We have each other’s backs. It’s an incredible bond.”
Still, he admits he’s not the most demonstrative of dads. “Even now, affection doesn’t come easily to me—not in the way it might for others. But I’ve learned to express love in ways my parents never did.”
靠魄力與效率贏同行敬重
母親作風雖截然不同，但一樣嚴厲，「跟她相處，你只能選擇做或不做，絕無妥協空間。」這樣的成長環境讓他如今決策雷厲風行。外界常誤以為他是含著金湯匙長大，從來不必為任何事努力，這種看法他從小就習以為常，卻依然覺得刺耳；真正與他共事過的人，都清楚知道他的魄力與努力，尤其對品質與效率的嚴謹要求。「我會聆聽和分辨哪些意見適用，但我通常相信自己的判斷。要在商業上推動創新，我必須尋求與眾不同的方法。特立獨行注定充滿挑戰，但這是令人振奮的。」
俗語說「創業難，守業更難。」商業世界瞬息萬變，要房地產商業王國屹立不倒的確需要獨到的眼光和迎難而上的堅韌，就像 Holborn Group 旗下的溫哥華琶拉帝詩酒店（Paradox Hotel Vancouver），前身因與特朗普家族合作挑起政治爭端，Joo Kim 當機立斷自創新品牌，易名轉型，適應時代變遷。在當前市況不明下，小山（Little Mountain）重建工程雖面臨延誤，但所有二百八十二套社會住房目前都在動工，預計將於 2026 年六月完工。Holborn Group 更是唯一優先興建社會住房的私人發展商，足證集團對社會的長遠責任感。
His wife, born in Taiwan and raised in White Rock, B.C. brings with her a perspective shaped by Western influences. Together, they’re intent on giving their children a sense of both roots and openness. “I want them to have a balanced upbringing. My roots are in Asia, and I want them to be exposed to different cultures. In Canada, we’re extremely privileged. I feel they need to see how life is more difficult elsewhere.”
The conversation about family privilege leads naturally to Tiah’s experience with public perception, despite having an industry reputation in the Vancouver community for consistently putting in hard work with impact. “People look at me and think, ‘You were born with a silver spoon, you never have to work,’” he says. “I’ve lived with that my whole life, but it still hurts. No matter how hard you work, people always think you didn’t really do anything.”
Chess Attaché in silver, RIMOWA.
For Tiah, the real measure of success isn’t building taller or bigger, but creating something that genuinely serves Vancouver and its people. “In business I never do anything for my own ego,” he explains. “It has to be the best fit for the people, so not just a tower for rich folk, but something the city can get behind.” This mindset drives his response to Vancouver’s mounting challenges: soaring costs, public safety concerns, a downtown core in need of revitalization.
重建社區與家庭連繫
在成為三個孩子的父親後，Joo Kim 看待城市與建築的角度也悄然轉變，他不再單單追求宏偉的天際線，更在乎和顧及內在用途：讓項目成為孩子們能奔跑、藝術家能展演、社區居民能共聚的空間。他最新提出的設計方案中，特別強調公共廣場與文化空間，盼能培養出真正的人際連結與歸屬感。
事業青出於藍，育兒親子方面，他亦刻意擺脫父母嚴苛的方式，「我和孩子們會互相扶持，彼此之間有密不可分的連結，他們知道永遠有我百分百的支持。」他同時承認自己仍然不習慣將愛宣之於口：「即使是現在，我不會像其他人那樣自然地表達愛。但至少我比我父母，更主動表達愛。」
“Vancouver is such a wonderful city, but the last few years haven’t been as great. It’s kind of gone in another direction,” he observes. “I’m not a government person, I’m not a politician. I’m a real estate guy. My role is to develop projects and see them reach their fullest potential.”
The scale of his latest project means navigating complex approval processes and public consultation that could stretch for years before ground breaks. But Tiah is already thinking beyond blueprints. He wants his children to inherit more than opportunity; he wants them to understand what it means to work for something real, to make the most of what they’ve been given.
“We have to be good stewards and give them a bigger platform to do even more,” he says. For Tiah, that means holding himself accountable to the outcome.
“The more you do, the greater the adventure will be, and also the greater the ups and downs. But you’re here to squeeze every juice out of this life and then you can have a full life. ‘I’m not chasing anybody. I’m just trying to live up to my own expectations.’ At the end of the day, it’s about building something meaningful—not just for myself, but for the city and for future generations."
Jacket, Top, and Pants, and Gary Low-top Trainers in Suede, HUGO BOSS.
活出使命和價值
加拿大的多元包容文化，絕佳的土壤能讓下一代茁壯成長。「在加拿大，我們真的很有福氣，我覺得孩子們要知道其他地方的生活隨時更艱難。」
對他來說，「富二代」絕不是能好吃懶做的代名詞，坐擁祖上財富便有使命善用家族資源，發揮自己最大的潛力回饋所得，他說：「我們必須管理好資產，建立更寬敞的平台，創造出更輝煌的成就。」
程如錦的目光如炬，工作不只為自己，亦從不與他人比較。他堅持活出自己的價值，自信滿滿地分享道：「當你投入得越多，這趟人生旅程會更精彩，中間或有大起大跌，但這才能充分享受人生的五味紛陳，活得充實，不枉此生。」
More from Fête Chiniose
On a video call from his Vancouver office, Joo Kim Tiah sits with the city’s skyline behind him, a skyline he’s about to transform with what may be his most defining project yet.
The real estate developer’s vision: a $2.8-billion development that would rise from two downtown blocks, an architectural statement that will become Vancouver’s most ambitious mixed-use complex to date.