Architecture to Inspire Vancouver's Public Buildings

Hed Kandi · #1 Posted **Mar 9, 2008, 7:58 PM**

With the recent announcement of a new Vancouver museum, I thought I might take some time to show fellow Vancouverites some examples of public buildings being developed around the globe. I can only hope that the design for the new museum is born out of an international competition and not simply handed to one of the paltry local firms.

Now without further ado,

yogiderek · #2 Posted **Mar 9, 2008, 8:06 PM**

Great pics. It can only be hoped that perhaps our favorite Dubai based devoloper can make a deal with the city and Province to build a truly incredible new Art Gallery, with an incredible tower thrown in. Maybe they can even redo the entire Queen E, theatre.

raggedy13 · #3 Posted **Mar 9, 2008, 8:08 PM**

Wow, sweet finds. The only one of those I've ever seen before is the stadium for the Beijing Olympics. Is this one supposed to be the 'spaceport' for Virgin Galactic?

mr.x · #4 Posted **Mar 9, 2008, 8:35 PM**

Those are pretty amazing, but given how city hall works i doubt we'd get anything like that. Not to mention that the location of the bus depot isn't exactly as noticeable, unlike those designs...the new VAG would have to be pretty big for the same effect.

SpongeG · #5 Posted **Mar 9, 2008, 8:49 PM**

if toronto can get this and this...

I am sure Vancouver will end up with this

jlousa · #6 Posted **Mar 9, 2008, 8:57 PM**

I've always been a fan of museums that you can walk from one end to the other w/o missing anything, the current museum is terrible as there are too many rooms to go into and you need to keep doubling back in order to see everything.
Something like this would be great.

Take an elevator to the top and walk down a spiraling ramp seeing everything on the outside wall as the centre acts as a large light well.
Heck make the outside of the building look like a giant Pacific Triton shell buried in the ground.

Landscape the rest of the lot with sand making it look like a giant shell on the beach, people downtown could have their lunch on a fake beach and enjoy some sculptures placed there. Heck the giant crab from the planterium would fit right in.

deasine · #7 Posted **Mar 9, 2008, 9:11 PM**

I much rather see something simple and elegant.

Source: Hed Kandi at SSP

Would love to see a green roof that's can actually be used and accessed by the public.

mr.x · #8 Posted **Mar 9, 2008, 9:28 PM**

^ that would be amazing...in fact, the convention centre should've adopted that concept to allow people on the green roof - though they wouldn't be exactly on the plants/grass, but on a walkway....that would've been amazing.

But with the new museum, i think it would be better if we go towards an entirely new concept.

flight_from_kamakura · #9 Posted **Mar 9, 2008, 9:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpongeG

if toronto can get this and this...

HAHAHAHAHAAHAAH!!!!! totally!!!!

but on the serious side, though toderian and vancouver's planning staff seem very conservative, i'm sure that the new vag building will be very design-forward, almost certainly with a west coast/green theme.

but my greatest hope is that bing thom, arthur erickson, and the rest of them aren't allowed within 500 meters of the design until it hits the advanced review stage (and even then, they should all be handcuffed a radiator about 15 feet from the plans) - one thing vancouver doesn't need is a 'signature' (toderian's idiotic word) building the bases of which are found throughout the city.

in my opinion, moshe safdie's library square was the perfect vancouver public building when it was built - it was unique within the built landscape of the city, it was reserved but very design-forward. now that the city's developed more, we need something much more avant-garde, not tall (a tower would be a mistake), but grand.

okay, three things i hope we see considered/incorporated:

1) it has to be bright, well lit with natural light in non sensitive areas, with artificial compensation for sensitive places, like you have at the centre pompidou. in this sense, a busy, colorful multi-media experience like the seattle public library is all wrong.

2) the material should make sense within the local context, but push the envelope. personally, i hope they stay away from wood, but some significant stone aspect could really work. i also think exposed steel, ungodly massing and black glass (a la seattle public library) is horrifically unvancouver, and should be avoided as much as possible. it should also be leeds gold or platinum, just for the extra profile.

3) it should have approaches from all sides, rather than a central entrance. personally, i think the site, as it stands, is bad for the vag. georgia is busy, with a weak pedestrian scale/profile; the queen e theatre just kills the cambie side; beatty will probably be a busy side, with the new towers and skytrain proximity; dunsmuir's a vehicle corridor with little pedestrian activity. even if the city decides to demolish the viaducts (please oh please), the vag building still wouldn't have an obvious central entrance. safdie did a good job getting those multiple entrances in there while maintaining the integrity of the principle entrances on the library, and i'd hope it could be done there too.

i'm curious about what others think

EastVanMark · #10 Posted **Mar 9, 2008, 9:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpongeG

if toronto can get this and this...

I am sure Vancouver will end up with this

I really hope you will be wrong, but judging by recent "unique" developments going up in town......

flight_from_kamakura · #11 Posted **Mar 9, 2008, 9:44 PM**

by the way thanks to hed kandi for the awesome photos to start off a great thread!

mr.x · #12 Posted **Mar 9, 2008, 9:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by flight_from_kamakura

3) it should have approaches from all sides, rather than a central entrance. personally, i think the site, as it stands, is bad for the vag. georgia is busy, with a weak pedestrian scale/profile; the queen e theatre just kills the cambie side; beatty will probably be a busy side, with the new towers and skytrain proximity; dunsmuir's a vehicle corridor with little pedestrian activity. even if the city decides to demolish the viaducts (please oh please), the vag building still wouldn't have an obvious central entrance. safdie did a good job getting those multiple entrances in there while maintaining the integrity of the principle entrances on the library, and i'd hope it could be done there too.

i'm curious about what others think

my same thoughts as well....a better location would be the Canada Post site a few blocks closer to the core, and certainly much more livelier with a lot more pedestrian activity. Either demolish that building for a new art gallery structure or renovate it.

Hed Kandi · #13 Posted **Mar 9, 2008, 10:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpongeG

if toronto can get this and this...

I am sure Vancouver will end up with this

Hahahahahaha

Hed Kandi · #14 Posted **Mar 9, 2008, 10:26 PM**

I'd love to see Frank Gehry work some magic on Vancouver !

mr.x · #15 Posted **Mar 9, 2008, 10:34 PM**

^ the Walt Disney Concert Hall is impressive, but IMO not grand and special enough.

I would actually love to see the art gallery at False Creek instead, especially if it's a real landmark design. It won't be overshadowed by buildings - you wouldn't be able to miss it there, just like the Sydney Opera House.

Either that or the Canada Post building, maybe they could add a couple of floors to it just like this one:

deasine · #16 Posted **Mar 9, 2008, 11:13 PM**

Most Amazing Green Roof in the World

Most Amazing Green roof? ~ Art School in Singapore ~ Source: InHabitat

Most Amazing Green roof? ~ Art School in Singapore ~ Source: InHabitat

Green Waterfront Buildings

The Word's First Green Convention Centre in Pittsburg ~ Source: InHabitat

I think that the next art gallery should have LEED Platinum Standards.

Jacques · #17 Posted **Mar 10, 2008, 1:45 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by deasine

I much rather see something simple and elegant.

Source: Hed Kandi at SSP

Would love to see a green roof that's can actually be used and accessed by the public.

This one would fit well in Vancouver

eduardo88 · #18 Posted **Mar 10, 2008, 2:34 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hed Kandi

I'd love to see Frank Gehry work some magic on Vancouver !

You mean do the same thing over and over again?

SpongeG · #19 Posted **Mar 10, 2008, 5:22 AM**

there are some really neat projects in the world

i was reading some article about an architect and he said we are seeing this now because it was just not possible until the computer reached what it can do today

so the future should be interesting

officedweller · #20 Posted **Mar 10, 2008, 7:39 AM**

That building in I think Hamburg is massive - the glass reno (opera house) atop the old warehouse. I think it's over 200 ft tall.
I think it's style would work well with the Post Office.