263 MacLaren St. is an eleven storey residential tower in Centretown. The building is a straightforward residential tower, four bays wide with balconies for each unit. The second level of the building was repainted in the late 2000s to match the pale yellow of the rest of the building.

At grade, the left streetfacing side of the building is given to parking: a small underground parking ramp and a passage to the rear of the lot for above ground parking. On the other side is the entrance to the building and a small commercial space, the commercial space has been vacant for some time. The building features a small canopy topped with a metal fence.

Within the block of MacLaren, the building sticks out. The hardscaping at the front of the building features no vegetation of any kind, which makes the paved surface feel as though it extends into the parking lot across the street. The bright colour of the building adds a harsher contrast to the historic surrounding fabric.

via the Ottawa Architects 150 initiative.