Named DCTRL–pronounced “decontrol”–the location is a radical, artist-run basement that has acted as the crucible for the majority of the city’s blockchain companies. Local hacktivists debate ideas in a central room with well-worn, movable couches; congregate in a small jam space with a free-for-use keyboard and rudimentary soundproofing; and sit quietly in a separate, disorderly area earmarked for coding. The walls are covered with haphazard meme-related murals, and the washroom is marked with a sign that reads “cemetery.”[1]

The space, newcomers are told, is a do-ocracy: an organizational structure that lets individuals choose their own tasks independently. It’s part of the location’s aim to translate blockchain’s ideology of decentralization into the lives of its visitors. It’s also one of the reasons that Vancouver’s blockchain community is unique.[1]