What started as a quiet moment of reflection during the pandemic has become a powerful tribute to one of Vancouver’s most storied neighbourhoods. Donna Seto, Manager of Research and Strategic Initiatives in UBC Civil Engineering, has released Chinatown Vancouver: An Illustrated History, a 260-page book that brings together art, memory, and historical research to tell the story of Vancouver’s Chinatown through the lens of its architecture and community.
In June 2021, Seto took to the streets of Chinatown with her camera, revisiting a neighbourhood she knew well from her childhood. With the area quieter than usual due to the pandemic and ongoing shifts caused by gentrification, she began noticing architectural details she had never seen before. Inspired, she began painting the buildings in watercolour and sharing the work online.
What began as a personal project to reconnect with the neighbourhood evolved into something much larger. Her vivid and hopeful portrayals of Chinatown’s buildings—many imagined as they once were or could be again—sparked responses from community members who shared their own memories of the shops and homes depicted in her artwork.
Encouraged by the public’s enthusiasm and approached by an editor from House of Anansi Press, Seto developed her illustrations into a book that merges art and narrative. Drawing on her academic background in politics and international relations, she combined original paintings of 64 buildings, archival photos, and community interviews to construct a rich portrait of the neighbourhood.
The book’s five thematic chapters explore the evolution of Chinatown from the 19th century to the present, delving into everything from cultural societies and food businesses to architecture and migration history. Alongside full-page illustrations of buildings, the book also features charming depictions of dim sum dishes, Asian groceries, and local pastries.
Through her extensive research—including interviews with descendants of early entrepreneurs like Yip Sang and reviews of historical records—Seto sheds light on the often-overlooked contributions of Chinese Canadians to the city and country. “This is a story of everyday people,” she notes. The book’s timeline traces events in both China and Canada that shaped immigration patterns and policies, offering important context for the lives and legacies of those who made Chinatown their home.
More than a personal milestone, Chinatown Vancouver highlights how storytelling and art can preserve and bring new life to community history. Seto hopes the book will inspire future generations to gain a deeper understanding of what Chinatown once was and to appreciate the diverse voices and histories that shaped it. “I didn’t see myself in history; I didn’t see that people like me contributed to anything, but when you look at these individual histories, you realize that people did so much,” Seto says. “Even though they’re everyday things, they had ripple effects in the community and in Vancouver.”
Now available where ever books are sold including the UBC Bookstore, Seto’s work is a reminder that the built environment, when viewed through the lens of memory and lived experience, can tell powerful stories—not only about who we were, but also about who we can become.