[SFUVancouver]

In Vancouver we are building the 2010 Winter Olympics Athlete's Village to exceptional levels of sustainability. After the games three quarters of the the 1,000+ residential dwellings will be sold at market rates while approximately 250 will become non-market housing for seniors and low income singles and families. This is intended to be a demonstration of the best urban planning, architectural, and engineering practices in the world today and act as the model for future local high-density development. The larger Southeast False Creek neighbourhood, of which the Olympic Village is the first phase, will include an elementary school, a streetcar line, parks, day cares, commercial, retail, office space, at least one grocery store, a community centre, a marina for non-motorized boats and kayaks, and a mixture of subsidized and market housing for 10,000 to 15,000 people, all built to very high levels of environmental sustainability (minimum LEED Silver equivalence).

The 1.4 million square foot, single phase Olympic Village is being built to the LEED Gold standard while the Community Centre is being built to LEED Platinum. The building that will become seniors' housing is going to attempt to reach the Net-Zero standard, which represents annual energy, water, and carbon neutrality. All of the buildings will feature green roofs, passive solar design, beyond-code insulation and glazing, and low/no VOC paint and carpets. Rain water will be retained in cisterns to be used for irrigation of the green roofs and landscaping. The buildings will be heated and cooled using an in-slab hydronic system connected to a hybrid district heating/cooling system powered by high-efficiency natural gas boilers and heat exchange system that will use both ground-source heat pipes and an innovative heat exchange system tied into the sewer pipes to recover their latent heat. Electricity comes from local hydroelectric dams. A streetcar will run through the neighbourhood and connect it to two nearby rapid transit stations. All parking is underground and well below average in its parking to dwelling ratio.

As an interesting final note, after the Olympics the buyers of the Village’s apartments and rowhouses will be given the names and nationalities of the athletes who stayed in their homes while competing. I think that’s a nice touch.

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/8725/sefcmillenniumwaterilluve2.jpg
Source: www.millenniumwater.com

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/5071/imammge2oz3.jpg
Source: www.millenniumwater.com

http://vancouver.ca/olympicvillage/photogallery/images/SEFCmodel087web.jpg
Source: City of Vancouver (http://vancouver.ca/olympicvillage/)

http://vancouver.ca/olympicvillage/photogallery/images/SEFCmodel120web.jpg
Source: City of Vancouver (http://vancouver.ca/olympicvillage/)

http://vancouver.ca/olympicvillage/photogallery/images/SEFCmodel172web.jpg
Source: City of Vancouver (http://vancouver.ca/olympicvillage/)

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/8373/olympicvillageairphotonac9.jpg
Aerial photo source: http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/bc/vancouver/2007/vch2007_396.jpg

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/9209/olympicvillageairphotonnu7.jpg
Aerial photo source: http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/bc/vancouver/2007/vch2007_457.jpg

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/6717/sefcpano5000x400mediumwht2.jpg (http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/4341/sefcpano5000x400mediumwnt5.jpg)
A link to a very large, hand-stitched panorama I took in the summer of 2007 showing the construction and context of the Olympic Village. There are 13 or 14 cranes visible in this photo.

Lots more information can be found at:
City of Vancouver (http://vancouver.ca/olympicvillage/) Olympic Village site.
www.MillenniumWater.com is the developer's sales website.
Olympic Village thread (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=138106)in the Vancouver section of this forum.


Thank you ImageShack (http://imageshack.us) for free photo hosting.

[dallasbrink]

any comps of what the Olympic stadium will look like?

gosh, that explanation of how energy efficient and environmentally friendly buildings hurt my head.

[Chevelle]

Wow, what a great area!

There are not to many places on the face of the earth that can say they hosted an Olympic Games and a World's fair more or less in the very same location (Talking in proximity to Expo 86 site and the Olympic Village).

I was there for 86 and plan on going to the games.

You should be proud;beautiful city that always shines on the world stage.

[David]

any comps of what the Olympic stadium will look like?


http://www.vancouver2010.com/images/gallery/en/mediaCentre/lowRes/2006/01/BC_Place.jpg
BC Place Stadium
It was built in 1983 :tup:

[dallasbrink]

so the torch will be in there?

[SFUVancouver]

Re: Olympic Torch,

The idea that was floated during the Olympic bid was for the entire outside ring of the stadium to be the Olympic torch. I can't find any pictures but it looked quite interesting in the bid video. My one concern is for the amount of gas that will have to be burned to run the torch continuously throughout the Olympics and Paraolympics. I imagine VANOC (the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee) will find a unique pseudo-sustainable way of fueling the flame, possibly with landfill-extracted methane gas or BC-produced natural gas, both counterbalanced with CO2 offsets.

I know some people are not too keen on the use of BC Place as a flagship venue, however I think it is a sound idea. I think the place will clean up nicer than most people think. The roof is whiter now than I have ever seen it and the freshly power washed concrete looks brand new. The bare concrete passageways inside BC Place desperately need to be painted and the lighting upgraded. The seats are seats. They're fine. The most important thing that BC Place needs is a massively upgraded sound system. The current system is atrocious. The bottom line is that the stadium's internal volume is quite large, patrons will be indoors and away from the elements, and let's face it, the rain, and the entire roof can serve as a canvas for interesting lighting and projected effects.

I've updated one of the aerial context photos to indicate the location of BC Place stadium and GM Place stadium. The former will be used for the opening and closing ceremonies and nightly medal presentation ceremonies. The latter will be used for ice hockey.

http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/3016/olympicvillageairphotonvn2.jpg
Aerial photo source: http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/bc/vancouver/2007/vch2007_396.jpg

[SFUVancouver]

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/5264/p1040650qf6.jpg
Source: My Photo ( SFUVancouver in SSP | Vancouverite in SSC)

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/7135/p1040648py3.jpg
Source: My Photo ( SFUVancouver in SSP | Vancouverite in SSC)

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/4084/p1040652vr3.jpg
Source: My Photo ( SFUVancouver in SSP | Vancouverite in SSC)

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/5972/p1040651ry8.jpg
Source: My Photo ( SFUVancouver in SSP | Vancouverite in SSC)

I took these in the midst of a breathtaking, sudden fall sunset today. The light faded moments after I snapped the last photo. In order to capture the light I ran past the sales centre for the Olympic Village and there were people camped out in line in order to buy the condos and townhouses and they don’t even go on sale for five more days.

[raggedy13]

Impressive shots! Thanks SFUVancouver. Should be all the more impressive once things are well above ground.

[SFUVancouver]

There are 8 tower construction cranes on the site now.

The opening day of sales for first phase of the Olympic Village grossed $200 million Canadian ($213 million USD).

The new island has had three tall wooden poles added to it as part of the landscaping. These are perches for bald eagles.

The pace of construction on the site is amazing. At any given time there are four or five roaming concrete pumping rigs and excavators, dump trucks, and concrete mixers are everywhere. There is at least one on-site concrete plant in operation but, clearly, it is utterly insufficient for the demands of this 16-building, single phase project. Ocean Concrete (Heildelberg Group) is the concrete supplier for the project.

Everything is on schedule as far as I am aware. On a related note, the bored tunneling of the SkyTrain Canada Line (automated light metro rapid transit) under downtown is two weeks ahead of schedule. The first trains arrive for testing on the almost-complete Vancouver International Airport portion of the line in December.

The Olympic Village station on this line is about a five minute walk from the heart of the construction precinct. The existing Main Street-Science World SkyTrain station is a five minute walk in the other direction from the heart of the construction precinct. A modern streetcar will connect the two and continue on to Granville Island (mixed-use arts and culture precinct). Eventually this streetcar line will continue through Chinatown and Gastown (design-centric heritage precinct), to Waterfront station (multi-modal regional transit hub in a grand turn of the century train station that was once the western terminus of the Canadian Trans-Continential railway). The streetcar will then head west through Coal Harbour (new, luxury high density waterfront neighbourhood) to Stanley Park (1000 acre downtown urban forest and park).

Delerium posted a photo of a detailed sales model for one of the Olympic Village buildings. While not visible, this building also has an intensive green roof and a ground-source geothermal heat exchange system.
here's one of the buildings that went on sale this week -
this one is at 123 West First Ave. i like it.

http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/157ccc88-d038-4a4c-b40b-818d8519d682/olympicvillagecondos.jpg

[SFUVancouver]

I went for a walk this afternoon on the new seawall section that was just opened a couple of days ago. It is nice! While it is not complete yet one can already tell how it will end up looking and I would say that it will rival the nicest parts of Yaletown and surpass it in many ways. The foreshore area will be landscaped with the seawall being set back some distance (relatively) from the water's edge. There are half a dozen or so small cantilevered jetties that project out over the water and it looks like the wooden decks are all made from recovered wood. They scream industrial in a very good way. Lots of granite cobbles and some enormous stone blocks that look like they could be used to repair the pyramids in Egypt.

The actual Olympic Village construction site has a frantic energy all its own. It looks like Athletes' Way has been built up but certainly not finished. Walter Hardwick way doesn't exist at all yet. It is a fully excavated pit. The scale of the place is decieving from 1st or the bridge. There really isn't much depth of the site at all.

In front of the Salt Building, which doesn't seem to be having any work done on it right now, a good quarter of the total depth is the seawall and Athletes' Way. Somehow they will fit two good sized buildings in there plus another street. I would say that Walter Hardwick way will be about the width of a Downtown South alley and the lots will be no deeper than a Downtown South block as well.

The scale of this place is going to be great! I was grinning as I walked away. The public is getting an exceptionally high quality public realm this time.

[vanman]

Thanks for the update, and the thread for that matter:tup:

[raggedy13]

^I was down there this evening. I was really pleased with how it is coming together. I was thinking to myself that it would be the nicest part of the seawall yet. It still has lots of work to get done on it but you can tell it is one high quality project. And if it reflects the quality of the overall neighbourhood then the whole area is going to be amazing. I'm looking forward even more to exploring the area when its done. Pictures are on the way (they're just loading right now). They don't do it justice though. It was pretty dark by the time I was down there and my camera sucks in the dark. Beautiful evening though. While I was walking around there I was trying to look at the city as if I were an athlete/journalist/tourist during the Olympics. Anyways, I arrived at the conclusion that I would be impressed by the city. :)

[raggedy13]

Here are some pictures I got. (may be a bit blurry/dark)

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/101_0033.jpg

Habitat Island
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/101_0055.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/101_0051.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/101_0052.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/101_0054.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/101_0057.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/101_0068.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/101_0069.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/101_0070.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/101_0071.jpg

Hard to see but this is where the west side of little pedestrian bridge over the water will connect
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/101_0072.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/101_0074.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/101_0075.jpg

Central supports for the bridge
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/101_0076.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/101_0077.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/101_0078.jpg

Xmas lights!
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/101_0079.jpg

Where east side of bridge will connect
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/101_0080.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/101_0081.jpg

One of the building sites
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/Dec%206%202007/101_0083.jpg

That's it.

[Coldrsx]

the pace with this project is absolutely phenomenal...rightly so i understand, but simply amazing.

[SFUVancouver]

Thanks for the photos. I didn't have my camera with me when I went by but I will make sure I pack it the next time I go by.

I am having some difficulty putting to words how pleasant I found the sense of scale. A little while ago I met with one of the landscape architects working on the project and I got a whiff of an almost-paternal pride for the project. A lot of people have put their heart and soul into bringing Southeast False Creek and the Olympic Village to fruition and it would seem that all of the experience and hard won lessons of the False Creek South, Yaletown, Coal Harbour and Downtown South build-outs are finding their way into this area. It is going to be a real shame that the general public and visitors will not be able to properly explore this new area during the Olympics because of the Olympic Village security perimeter but I can understand why no host city wants another Munich. Oddly enough, that makes it even more special to me because it means that all of this work truly is intended for the people of Vancouver to enjoy in perpetuity and it is being built to last, unlike during Expo86 when everything was built to last 8 months.

There are still a lot of good things on the horizon for the area. The deck around Science World is rebuilt and will undoubtedly be designed to complement the style and quality of the Olympic Village and Southeast False Creek seawall. Also, the final False Creek park will be created where the old Indy Raceway is on northeast False Creek and beside it will be Concord Pacific's last waterfront project. I noticed that they have already extended Carrall street to the waterfront. The western half of the street appears to be an asphalt bike path, for lack of a better word, that will connect the seawall to the Carrall street greenway via the intersection. The sidewalk is three or four times the standard width and of higher quality and that would connect the seawall to the greenway's sidewalks, again via the intersection.

[Coldrsx]

"
I am having some difficulty putting to words how pleasant I found the sense of scale."


agreed...they could have done another yaletown of nice towers and dead streets (other than hamiton really), but chose a different path.

[SFUVancouver]

Well things are moving along for the Olympic Village. Construction continued through the worst of winter without disruption. The weather is fine again, the snow has melted, and the first flowers are starting to bud.

It has become a pretty busy place. 12 tower construction cranes are building the 16 buildings, the first of which is about three storeys above ground. The remainder is all below- or at- grade.

The big news is that the new pedestrian and bicycle Seawall is open through the Olympic Village site and one can now get up close and personal with the project.

The overall state of the site:
http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/4994/p1040849hg9.jpg


The following several shots of the new man-made marine habitat island. The very small bay to the right is where the daylighted stream will empty into False Creek. There are dozens of streams running under Vancouver, all of which were filled in or buried in sewers more than a hundred years ago. One is being daylighted and deeply integrated into the landscaping of the Olympic Village. The elementary school will be right beside it and children can be expected to play on its banks and run across its pedestrian bridges.

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/6084/p1040858mx2.jpg

http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/5231/p1040861zc4.jpg

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/6166/p1040865ji4.jpg


The new Seawall features separated pedestrian and bicycle/wheeled vehicle paths, a number of boardwalks that feature recovered wood from the old industrial piers on the site, and an inlet with pedestrian bridge adjacent a piazza and the community centre. A marina for non-motorized boats (Dragon Boat war canoes, kayaks, etc.) will be adjacent.

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/1744/p1040867nu5.jpg

http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/9053/p1040874sy4.jpg

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/429/p1040871ig6.jpg

http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/7209/p1040876xa4.jpg

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/7118/p1040873gp9.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/1919/p1040862rw5.jpg

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/6365/p1040868jj8.jpg

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/7623/p1040875rl6.jpg

[excel]

Great update thanks.

[Phil McAvity]

"
I am having some difficulty putting to words how pleasant I found the sense of scale."

agreed...they could have done another yaletown of nice towers and dead streets (other than hamiton really), but chose a different path.

If you like short buildings, why would you come to a site called "skyscraperpage.com"? :koko:

[Down_Under_the_El]

^ You shouldn't judge a book by its cover.. and even if that's what it's all about isn't it good to have differing opinions?

[agrant]

If you like short buildings, why would you come to a site called "skyscraperpage.com"? :koko:There is a time and place for tall buildings. The entire Earth doesn't need to be completely covered with them. Wouldn't that be :koko: ?

[Coldrsx]

There is a time and place for tall buildings. The entire Earth doesn't need to be completely covered with them. Wouldn't that be :koko: ?

and if one knows van...it will be nice to have a low/mid-rise area near downtown a la arbutus somewhat.

[agrant]

:previous: I actually live near Arbutus. There are some mid-rise projects being constructed right now. One newly completed one with about 6 stories, an IGA and London Drugs on the ground floor. Things will probably really kick into gear if they ever get the Millenium line extended. The thing I like about a mid-rise, is that it doesn't cast a huge shadow. It feels more open at street level. Skyscrapers are fine too, but they'd look out of place in my area.

[raggedy13]

Took some pictures yesterday afternoon...

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/2008%20February%2028/P2280027.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/2008%20February%2028/P2280040.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/2008%20February%2028/P2280044.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/2008%20February%2028/P2280045.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/2008%20February%2028/P2280046.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/2008%20February%2028/P2280049.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/2008%20February%2028/P2280053.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/2008%20February%2028/P2280054.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/2008%20February%2028/P2280055.jpg

More buildings creeping above grade
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/2008%20February%2028/P2280060.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/2008%20February%2028/P2280061.jpg

Some crazy new 2/3-person chairs along with some large dock cleats (for extra seating I assume)
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/2008%20February%2028/P2280065.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/2008%20February%2028/P2280066.jpg

More chairs
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/2008%20February%2028/P2280067.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/2008%20February%2028/P2280069.jpg

Another building above grade (site immediately west of the pedestrian bridge)
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/2008%20February%2028/P2280072.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/2008%20February%2028/P2280075.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/2008%20February%2028/P2280080.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/2008%20February%2028/P2280083.jpg

Interesting lights
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/2008%20February%2028/P2280085.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/2008%20February%2028/P2280087.jpg

Lots of opportunities for seating
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/2008%20February%2028/P2280088.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/2008%20February%2028/P2280092.jpg

[raggedy13]

Pics from yesterday:


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2229/2539308449_0c96debf4e_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3064/2539313243_2b2d2e0183_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3012/2540130750_8125fbbe4e_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2408/2540060490_cb917928a0_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3101/2539313705_85c0ecb5f3_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3163/2539313885_6b1b6c2fcd_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2231/2539314069_c2c288311a_b.jpg

People seemed to love these new swiveling chairs. I thought they were pretty cool too. They swiveled really smoothly.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2249/2540136138_8893521783_b.jpg

My personal favourites are these new lounge chairs... so comfortable.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2293/2540131208_e22707157a_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3084/2540131418_015beb0a7c_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2320/2539314715_0ed23ecdae_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2278/2540136534_bfcdf09119_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3197/2539315075_dd59fd63f7_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3244/2540131860_eb38fc41c6_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2127/2540136860_f07e932539_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3184/2539310489_6850a63d0d_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2140/2540132486_5ea5e41e6a_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3117/2540137050_3d7926584f_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3242/2539316027_ecb847838d_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2233/2540132988_1c839c6f43_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3281/2540133222_59789d13f8_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3061/2539312307_4e71d7abcf_b.jpg

[SFUVancouver]

Olympic Village Panorama | July 10th 2008 (scroll --> --> -->)
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/4659/olympicvillagepanojuly1tb7.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, July 10th, 2008.

[raggedy13]

Some pics from Sunday afternoon:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3244/2815824193_b853373535_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3068/2816702186_3e5d7105d5_b.jpg

The Foundry
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3115/2815863615_3f59474ca8_b.jpg

Wall Centre site
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3295/2816704474_686013ab0f_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3134/2815853009_63410b907c_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3264/2816704010_43ab3a28c5_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3179/2815853919_c311e93fbd_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3086/2816713984_bdf9cfe377_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3039/2815854601_b893496976_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3049/2815855663_c004366354_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3292/2815865863_5dc32acf17_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3094/2815866063_88c1b0b8eb_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3018/2815859021_63223a2cd2_b.jpg

I believe this is the Erickson community centre u/c
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3093/2816710998_26d15c04a6_b.jpg

They added some bolted metal strips since the last time I was there - probably to deter skaters (aside from the aesthetic value)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3176/2815861149_aa408344cf_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3170/2816711596_9050b41ffd_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3018/2816712022_57b5fb4a73_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3235/2815866229_03727ff7a6_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3190/2816716442_b8232f28da_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3047/2816716638_6fba45a55f_b.jpg

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[raggedy13]

I see this thread hasn't been updated for quite awhile. Here are some pics I took today.

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Looks like there may be a water feature here:
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http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3478/3197861647_41931c2929_b.jpg

This guy was apparently hamming it up for the camera and I didn't even notice until I loaded them on to my computer:
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New recycling bins
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3522/3197861853_07548a641e_b.jpg

The wedge-shaped building
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3123/3197865717_e1af0f81f9_b.jpg

[metroXpress]

Hello raggedy,

I am going to check out the Athlete's Village this weekend. I love your photos ...I can always trust on you :)

Allen

[raggedy13]

Thanks for the kind words. I hope you enjoy checking out the Athlete's Village. Will it be your first time seeing it in person? Hope the weather is nice for you.

[metroXpress]

Thanks for the kind words. I hope you enjoy checking out the Athlete's Village. Will it be your first time seeing it in person? Hope the weather is nice for you.

Of course not!!! I've been checking these development sites and venues long before I joined this board. I was actually seeking for a good forum and I came across this one. I got some of my photos up in the "Sub-forum for Vancouver" :) I will repost them here too! I am going to add you on my buddy list...hope you don't mind

[metroXpress]

I took these photos today...Jan 24,2009

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3441/3224456596_4734c365e5_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3353/3223604949_fe4e9ecdff_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3403/3223621011_256bf94aba_b.jpg

Got more...but still uploading

[metroXpress]

Visited the Presentation Centre of Millennium Water on Jan 24
They were so nice to let me take pic of their models..they got a lot.
These photos are all taken by me:


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3456/3224567062_456da686d6_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3439/3224561212_ffbc0c0c9a_b.jpg

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[LWR]

In my next life, I'm going to live in your beautiful city. I've visited many times on convention, but never really get to see it all.

Question to anyone: is the "silver globe" a part of the old Hemisfair? That was the first time I visited. I saw remarkable films in that building (I believe).

Thanks for all the great photos.

[touraccuracy]

^it's science world, an exhibit building that students go on field trips to, and it has an imax theatre at the top. it was built for expo 86 i think.




Vancouver: supporting the glass industry since 1987

[SFUVancouver]

The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Athletes Village as seen from the north side of False Creek.
http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/9853/olympicvillagefromplaza.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

The Community Centre at the heart of the Olympic Village will serve the larger Southest False Creek neighbourhood. The Community Centre has been designed to achieve LEED Platinum on the Canada and US Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) ranking system. An important component of this is the building’s sedum green roof. It is already looking lush and just imagine how verdant it will look after a few years of growth.
http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/632/olympicvillagecommunity.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

The Olympic Village as seen from Science World at the end of False Creek.
http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/4290/olympicvillagefromscien.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

The busy seawall connects the Science World precinct of False Creek to the new Olympic Village area.
http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/8820/olympicvillagebusyseawa.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

While the Community Centre’s green roof will be inaccessible there is a large landscaped terrace that is adjacent to the centre’s daycare. Children will be able to run around and play on much of this glassed-in terrace. The balance will be attached to general purpose space within the community center. I imagine more than a few weddings and receptions will be held up here before too long.
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/632/olympicvillagecommunity.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

The front entrance to the Community Centre will feature a double height multi-hued glazed atrium.
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/632/olympicvillagecommunity.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

This shows the nice balance that has been struck for much of the shoreline for the Olympic Village. The naturalized shoreline is still highly accessible thanks to the numerous boardwalk viewing platforms. At the same time, if people want to scramble down to the water’s edge the plants that have been chosen and the design of the shoreline are both more than hearty enough to endure some adventuring.
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/2601/olympicvillagenaturaliz.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

The naturalized shoreline section of the seawall has been lushly landscaped with local draught-tolerant plants. Now in their second growing season many plants have self-seeded to fill in the gaps between initial plantings.
http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/6210/olympicvillageselfseedi.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

Looking across the new small bay towards the buildings on the west side of the Olympic Village. The pedestrian bridge on the right is called Canoe Bridge, after its resemblance to the First Nations’ canoes that were historically used in False Creek and all along the West Coast.
http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/2830/olympicvillagepublcreal.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

These are the west set of buildings that front onto the Village square and the extensive public realm facing the new bay, Canoe Bridge, and False Creek. On this side of the plaza there will be a large-format private liquor store, and several smaller stores, possibly including a Starbucks.
http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/3792/olympicvillagewestplaza.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

The plaza at the centre of the Olympic Village is starting to take shape. To the left is the Community Centre and seawall. Ahead are the mass of buildings on the east side of the Village. At the ground level of these buildings will be a medium-sized grocery store (Urban Fare), a medium-format pharmacy/department store (London Drugs), and almost surely a Starbucks.
http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/5408/olympicvillageplazaandp.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

The historic Salt Building is being restored and the nearly completed buildings on either side now give a good sense of enclosure without being overbearing. In the Salt Building there will be a large multi-story brewpub, a community-use gathering space, and possibly another Starbucks.
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/4871/olympicvillagesaltbuild.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

This shot shows the three tiers of movement for the public realm. The asphalt “wheels” path is for cyclists, skateboarders, and inline skaters (old school skates welcome too). The adjacent path with the gray permeable cement pavers is for walkers and joggers, basically people who are going somewhere. Finally, the graciously apportioned boardwalk zone is for people who are just meandering about, enjoying the scenery, and looking for a good place to sit. Understandably there is no street furniture for sitting on the asphalt wheels path, limited amounts on the walking path, and loads of it on the boardwalk.
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http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

The granite “steps” that lead down to the waters of False Creek. http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/9687/olympicvillagegranitest.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

While I doubt that anyone will go swimming any time soon it is remarkable that the waters of False Creek have been cleaned up so much that thousands of herring spawned on the kilometer of shoreline adjacent the Village. There hasn’t been a herring spawn in False Creek since they started keeping records.
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/9687/olympicvillagegranitest.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

Every building in the Olympic Village is achieving LEED Gold, with the Community Centre and the net-zero senior’s home both surpassing this level.
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/8408/olympicvillagecentralbu.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

The pedestrian Canoe Bridge across the small bay. The bridge was designed to be fun to cross, with metal grating on the floor to allow one to look down into the water and a natural curving shape that is human-scaled, instead of vehicle-scaled.
http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/948/olympicvillagecanoebrid.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

Looking back at the seawall, Community Centre, plaza space, and granite steps into the water.
http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/2597/olympicvillagebridgeand.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

The wood for the boardwalks were recovered from the original piles and decking of the industrial-era wharves that were on the site prior to construction.
http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/8875/olympicvillageboardwalk.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

This photo highlights one of the many pedestrian mews that cut through the larger blocks to make them more permeable to people and light.
http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/6540/olympicvillagepedlanean.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

Looking back again at the bridge, naturalized shoreline at the entrance of the bay, and the heart of the Olympic Village.
http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/756/olympicvillagebayandbri.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

All buildings in the Olympic Village have green roofs and it was a requirement of their design that each building lot must have a minimum of 50% of its area be planted or permeable. Of course requirements for density, massing, set-backs, public realm treatment, etc., all made a 50% planted lot with the building on the other half totally impossible and green roofs the only choice. This was a sneaky way of getting around the insurance liability the City could face if they had come right out and required green roofs, only to find themselves getting sued ten years down the line for fostering leaky ceilings. http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/632/olympicvillagecommunity.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

The late Arthur Erickson’s twin twisting mid-rise super luxury buildings.
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/6919/olympicvillageericksonb.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

Another mid-block pedestrian mews. In the foreground an elaborate waterfall and pond can be expected between Erickson’s twisting mid-rise buildings.
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/9181/olympicvillagepedwalkbe.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

The phallanx of the Olympic Village's west "bookend" buildings. The massing strategy of the Village is to have two sets of taller buildings on the edges of the precinct and then the heights dip down towards the Salt Building and plaza at the centre of the Village.
http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/263/olympicvillagewestbldgs.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

Habitat Island is starting to look quite natural after a couple years of undisturbed growth.
http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/4857/olympicvillagehabitatvi.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

The wetland to the west of the Olympic Village is turning out brilliantly. I have learned more about it and my initial understanding, that it was a daylighted stream, is incorrect. It is instead the heart of the neighbourhood's stormwater management system.
http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/1012/olympicvillagewaterfowl.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

The Olympic Village is not connected to the City's normal storm sewer system in the normal fashion. Instead all of the local storm sewers drain into this wetland, which is full of plants that will filter the water while providing habitat to waterfowl, invertebrates, and insects, before it spills over into False Creek.
http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/8470/olympicvillagewaterwaya.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

There is the infrastructure to have storm water overflow into the normal storm sewer system but I believe the wetland system has been designed to accept everything, even hundred-year storm events like the ones we had in 2005.
http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/263/olympicvillagewestbldgs.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

Recycled potable fresh water is pumped into the wetland to ensure that it is viable year round, and the wetland will slowly overflow into False Creek via the small dam beneath the seawall bridge. This dam keeps salt water out of the freshwater wetland. The overflowing water will drain into the intertidal channel beside Habitat Island and the mainland. This shot shows the intertidal channel, in the foreground of the photo, at a fairly high tide.
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/8749/olympicvillagehabitatis.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

The Olympic Village as seen from the deck of the Cambie Street Bridge.
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/4120/olympicvillagefromcambi.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

In the foreground a large grass playing field with a baseball diamond at each end will eventually be built as part of evolution of the larger Southeast False Creek precinct. Privately developed residential projects will fill out the rest of the space per the Southeast False Creek Official Development Plan.
http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/7539/sefcfutureparkandbldgsa.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

The Southeast False Creek Neighbourhood Energy Utility (NEU) is being constructed beneath the Cambie Street Bridge. This facility will siphon latent heat from the City's sanitary sewers to provide hot water heating for the larger Southeast False Creek neighbourhood and the Olympic Village. An ultra-high efficiency natural gas boiler will bring the sewer heat-warmed water up the last bit of the way to the desired temperature when required.
http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/8527/sefcneubeneathbridgeaug.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

All of the buildings in the neighbourhood are required to be designed with either baseboard hydronic radiators or in-slab hydronic radiant heating and the necessary equipment to plug into the NEU hot water network. The water is on a closed loop and is drawn back into the NEU for reheating. When demand for heating is greatest on the coldest of winter days the natural gas boiler will undoubtedly kick in. However the system works in reverse and on hot summer days cold water will be pumped through the NEU loop to help cool the buildings in lieu of air conditioning. The returning water will be warm and this latent heat will be dissipated into the City’s sanitary sewer system.
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/7350/sefcneubeneathbridge2au.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

This the one of the pipes that will carry hot water throughout the Southeast False Creek neighbourhood and the Olympic Village for heating purposes. http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/858/sefcneuseriouspipeaug12.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

The flue stacks for the NEU are deliberately being made visible from the bridge deck and a LED lighting system will be installed on the flue stack tips to visually illustrate how much hot water is being used to heat the neighbourhood, and possibly how much of it is being heated by green power vs natural gas.
http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/7439/sefcneuflueventsaug1209.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

This shot looks down First Avenue from the deck of the Cambie Street Bridge. The wide centre (soon to be grass) median is earmarked for the downtown Vancouver Streetcar. The trial Olympic Streetcar Line will run from the new SkyTrain Olympic Village station on the other side of the bridge to Granville Island. The alignment of the streetcar through the Olympic Village and on into Chinatown, Gastown, Coal Harbour and Stanley Park has been approved by Council and all the roads, and in some cases viaduct roads, have been designed to accommodate a modern streetcar system. On the right are The Exchange and Foundry. The Exchange is named this because the brick office block housed the city's original telephone exchange.
http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/7185/sefcfirstaveaug1209p116.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

The west “bookend” buildings of the Olympic Village as seen from First Avenue before it jogs around the corner.
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/8026/olympicvillagefrom1stau.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

The wetlands from the First Avenue side.
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/9435/olympicvillageotherside.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

Looking down First Avenue away from the Cambie Street Bridge. The green fritted glass-clad low-rise building on the left is one of the non-market apartment buildings in the Olympic Village.
http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/8391/olympicvillagefirstaven.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

This unique building has a cladding system that utilizes fritted glass panels instead of metal paneling over top of the normal weatherproof insulated wall assembly. The building will be home to families that receive income assistance and have had their living arrangements made for them, likely by the Provincial Ministry of Children and Families or possibly the City.
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/9331/olympicvillageglasshous.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

This is the site of “Crane Park”. The immense gantry crane from Domtar Steel was saved and is being refurbished for use on this small pocket park. Domtar Steel made much of the steel that was used in the Second Narrows Iron Workers Memorial Bridge, BC Place, the Boeing Aircraft Assembly Hall in Seattle, and many of the major steel skyscrapers in downtown Vancouver. The park fronts onto First Avenue and is surrounded by two of the non-market housing buildings in the Village.
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/1511/olympicvillagecranepark.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

I love that the Salt Building is being restored to its original intense hue of red and that it has in turn inspired the architects of the Olympic Village to go way outside their normal comfort zone in their use of colour for the buildings that front onto First Avenue.
http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/1233/olympicvillagesaltbldga.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

The brillance of the new paint job on the Salt Building has actually made me re-evaluate my preconcieved notions of what Vancouver must have looked like in its industrial heyday. I knew that brightly coloured industrial buildings were common but the black and white or sepia photography never gives one a glipse of this.
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/1233/olympicvillagesaltbldga.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

This striking building is part of the "modest market" program of the Olympic Village, which means rental apartments. The developer, Millennium, has committed to these apartements being available for rent at market rates for the next twenty years. After that time they may apply to the City for permission to renovate and then sell them as strata-title.
http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/858/olympicvillagewhiterent.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

The east “bookend” buildings as seen from First Avenue. The white rental apartment building is to the left. The sizable garage door that adjoins the two buildings is the sole access point for the grocery store and drug store that are in the podiums of the buildings facing onto to plaza and Salt Building.
http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/9960/olympicvillageeastbldgs.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

Looking down First Avenue towards the Cambie Street Bridge. The Salt Building is slightly visible at the halfway mark. This shot gives one a good idea of the length of the Village.
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/6300/olympicvillagefirstavef.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

One of the non-market buildings in the Village is being built for the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), which is Canada’s national housing body. This is rather remarkable because since the late 1990s Canada has had no national housing strategy (we’re the only developed country in the world without a national housing strategy by the way) and CMHC has not actually built anything. All of the responsibility for social (non-market) housing has been downloaded to the provinces so that the Federal Government was able to balance its books and start paying down our deficit (also the only developed country to be doing this; an odd coincidence?). This building is for low-income senior citizens who can live independently and CMHC decided to really put on a show with this one by striving to become the first “net-zero” building of its kind in Canada.
http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/8321/olympicvillagenetzerosoo.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

What they mean by “net-zero” is that over the course of a year the building will be carbon neutral in its use of energy and water. It will accomplish this by capturing and utilizing rainwater for non-potable uses, employing a very large solar hot water array to generate all of its domestic hot water, siphon waste heat from the grocery store below to supplement and offset the need to use the NEU-supplied heating hot water, and the building will create an equal or greater amount of oxygen in its extensive rooftop garden than it released as carbon dioxide throughout the year.
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http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

The building exceeds LEED Platinum on the Canada and US Green Building Council LEED scorecard and CMHC is wiring it up to be a living laboratory to test out elements of the next generation national building code that it is authoring.
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/7/olympicvillagenetzerobl.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

The east “bookend” buildings of the Olympic Village.
http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/9960/olympicvillageeastbldgs.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, August 12th, 2009

[Hed Kandi]

An Insane amount of effort! Much Appreciated!!!

[Jonovision]

Amazing update! Well done!:cheers:

[crazyjoeda]

looks like its really coming along. thanks for all that extra info.

[SFUVancouver]

Delirium brings us some great aerial photos of the Olympic Village. The PV panels on the roof of the LEED Platinum community cente are up, so is the solar hot water array on the beyond-LEED Platinum senior's housing building. One more solar hot water array remains to be installed.

here's some nice aerial shots taken sept.23. you can see some rooftop solar panels have been installed...

http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/bc/vancouver/2009/vch2009_1176.jpg

http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/bc/vancouver/2009/vch2009_1138.jpg

http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/bc/vancouver/2009/vch2009_1141.jpg

http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/bc/vancouver/2009/vch2009_1142.jpg

http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/bc/vancouver/2009/vch2009_1146.jpg

http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/bc/vancouver/2009/vch2009_1148.jpg

http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/bc/vancouver/2009/vch2009_1182.jpg
all photos from www.globalairphotos.com

[SFUVancouver]

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/mm/photo/vancouver/hostcity/01/89/58/18958_m15.jpg

City of Vancouver hands over athletes' village
By Frances Bula, The Globe and Mail Posted Wednesday, November 4, 2009 10:01 PM ET

There were no dancing mascots when Mayor Gregor Robertson announced earlier this year that Vancouver taxpayers were "on the hook" for the $1-billion Olympic athletes village, which was then mired in a financial mess.

But that all changed Wednesday, as the mayor handed over the giant fake key for the village to VANOC CEO John Furlong amid life-size versions of Quatchi, Sumi and Miga, along with native drummers in elaborate costumes and a student choir singing O Canada.

"We're all feeling the momentum now," Mr. Robertson said, as he thanked not just the beleaguered private developers of the village, Peter and Shahram Malek, but also marketer Bob Rennie and his team - "the best in the city" - and even the contractors. "This is one of the most environmentally sustainable communities in the world."

With 100 days to go until the Games, people got to walk around the elegant, eight-block, 1,100-unit Millennium Project that constitutes the village. Many associated with the project said the tide of public opinion has turned.

"I think it's turning into a very good news story," said Ian Smith, a city planner who has worked with the project since the beginning. "There's a different dynamic now."

For the official handover of the village, which will house more than 3,000 athletes for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Vancouver enjoyed another sunlit, warm, fall day. Clusters of local and foreign news media roamed the site and its broad central plaza, stopping to admire such elements as the solar-powered, GPS-rigged public garbage cans, the $1-million views from the athletes' bedrooms, and the elaborate daycare playground that sits on a balcony overlooking the city's downtown towers.

"They've heard the bad stories, but they're interested in the project and its sustainability, especially the Koreans," said Rick Graham, an official from the Canadian Tourism Commission, who was shepherding a group of foreign reporters around as part of a government-funded tour.

Hundreds of people, including a couple of dozen former Olympic athletes, turned out for the official ceremony held at the city's restored Salt Building, which faces the main plaza.

Like the village, the onetime industrial building was another project - this time a city one - that went millions of dollars over budget as it was converted for use as a brewpub and coffeehouse. Now, the city is getting praise for the sensitive renovation of a structure that, three years ago, was covered in pigeon droppings.

The village's new image may take some getting used to.

For the past year, Vancouverites have been bombarded with news about the village's financial problems, after the Maleks had to be bailed out by the city when their recession-battered New York hedge-fund lenders stopped payments because of concerns about cost overruns.

The city ended up taking over the financing of the project - a move that still carries some risk if the condos don't sell for the amount it cost to build them. As well, it also took a stronger role in managing the project, amid concerns from inside city hall that the village was behind schedule.

But, behind the scenes, the village's project managers and promoters worked tirelessly to change public opinion. For five months, Mr. Rennie, the condo marketer, did tours of the project every Friday for city opinion-makers, selling them on the village's best points: the waterfront, the green features, and the urban design that features European-style narrow streets and low buildings.

He has also worked out a new launch date for the approximately $750-million worth of condos that remain unsold - including the one shown off to media on Wednesday, a two-bedroom-and-den suite that will sell for around $2-million. The prices haven't been set yet, but Mr. Rennie is convinced the city won't lose any of its money.

Peter Malek used the occasion of the handover to invite everyone to that next round of presales on May 8.

Then people will have a chance to buy "the ultimate Olympics souvenir," he said.

Source: Globe and Mail (http://www.ctvolympics.ca/about-vancouver/news/newsid=18906.html#city+vancouver+hands+over+athletes+village)

[SFUVancouver]

Southeast False Creek from the deck of the Cambie Street Bridge
http://img697.imageshack.us/img697/9843/sefcfromcambiebridgenov.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, November 8th, 2009

Foundry and Exchange
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/2397/foundryandexchangenov80.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, November 8th, 2009

The western corner of the Olympic Village.
http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/2492/ovfromswcornernov809p11.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, November 8th, 2009

The "Green Building" has two glowing stairwells facing into its courtyard. Here we see the southern stairwell peeking around the corner.
http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/2089/ovgreenblglightfeature1.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, November 8th, 2009

The Green Building's second glowing courtyard stairwell.
http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/463/ovgreenbldglightfeature.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, November 8th, 2009

The Green Building has a third glowing external stairwell on the front of the building facing First Avenue.
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/345/ovgreenbldgnov809p11608.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, November 8th, 2009

...And a large warmly lit amenity room at the southeast corner of the building beside the building's lobby.
http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/6273/ovgreenbldgeastsidenov8.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, November 8th, 2009

[SFUVancouver]

The Salt Building by night.
http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/8122/saltbldgnov809p1160886.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, November 8th, 2009

http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/2763/saltbldgnamenov809p1160.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, November 8th, 2009

A reception was held in the Salt Building for Prince Charles and Lady Camilla on Saturday November 7th as part of their tour of the Olympic Village and Vancouver.
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/5797/saltbldg2nov809p1160904.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, November 8th, 2009


The "White Bulding" features, without a doubt, the most beautiful pieces of architectural lighting I have ever seen. Here one of the Olympic Village's founding architectural principles, that of external staircases that act as "vertical streets", has yielded genuine pieces of art.
http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/5172/ovwhitebuildingeastligh.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, November 8th, 2009

http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/5172/ovwhitebuildingeastligh.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, November 8th, 2009

The second set is nearly finished.
http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/4564/ovwhitebldgwestlighting.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, November 8th, 2009

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/4564/ovwhitebldgwestlighting.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, November 8th, 2009

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/7623/ovwhitebldgwestlightingt.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, November 8th, 2009

The White Building and the Salt Building with the Green Building in the distance.
http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/9384/ovfromtheeastwhilebldgf.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, November 8th, 2009

The entire First Avenue frontage of the Olympic Village as seen from the far east side.
http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/3319/ovfromfareastnov809p116.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, November 8th, 2009