Fifteen Fifteen (1500 W Georgia) | 134m | 43fl | U/C

[Genauso]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

It's an unpaid volunteer position staffed by rotating senior members from the architectural, planning and real estate community.

So it's not going to happen.

If it makes you guys feel any better a lot of UDP members are not fans of the view cones and many of the comments about towers dimensions are minuted criticisms of the stubby imposed massings.

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

UDP panelists are volunteers. There is no remuneration.

Panelists are appointed by their respective bodies (Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia, Vancouver chapter; Urban Land Institute, Vancouver chapter; and Architectural Institute of British Columbia, Vancouver chapter; BC Society of Landscape Architects, Vancouver chapter). I'm not sure how the practicing public artist is selected. The Vancouver City Planning Commission has a seat on the UDP and they select the representative internally.

I was piling on, unfairly.

Sounds like a thankless job.

I am satisfied with the level of design in Vancouver, and recognize a couple times where everyone might agree they improved after the UDP review process.

It might be a bit of a communication problem really. I wouldn't mind seeing inline responses to obvious answer by the architect, like that a more slender tower significantly impacting both sales and costs. I know this forum isn't the primary venue for UDP reports, but maybe it raises some good points on where it could be improved.

It's a rotating panel so the participants who deserve praise don't get it, and those who are just a burden don't get the feedback on what's wrong with their contributions.

[Feathered Friend]

Screen captures from the February 14, 2017 Application
Source : Lead Design: Buro Ole Scheeren
http://rezoning.vancouver.ca/applica...rgia/index.htm






The rest of the New Renderings
http://rezoning.vancouver.ca/applica...ering-2017.pdf

Design Response to UDP
http://rezoning.vancouver.ca/applica...Panel-2017.pdf

[Genauso]

Tower of boxes is boring, because it was a trend that burned bright and burned out. I have no problem with that.

The width spanning landcape-page style box relates well to the original 1500 W Georgia.

The trees planted in the water probably look a lot better in the rendering than they will in practice. Any further suggestions for that part? Lights and waterjet fountains? I know low/no maintenance would be important, so if not colored underwater lights I would like some kind of paint or colouring to make it lake louise green or bermuda blue.

Here is the most useful rendering imo

[trofirhen]

From what I can gather, the original design of this building seems to have been "dumbed down" a bit.
IMO ... So what? It is still a striking and original building, even if it's a bit more 'modest' than the original design.
Also, when that new (sorry I forget the name) triangular building is put up at Pender at Georgia, the entrance into the city will become really dramatic. We're on our way

[Changing City]

Could the height and floors be changed? The revised version is 42 floors and 134m.

[Aroundtheworld]

I have no problem with the boxes in the sky, but this proposal still looks pretty dour at street level. I wonder if the plan is for Georgia to be a dead, car-traffic only street forever.

[Vin]

Compared to the original proposal:

Original:

Originally Posted by Klazu

Brand new proposal for West End by Ole Scheeren's office. They call this "Vertical Living".

Latest:

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

Screen captures from the February 14, 2017 Application
Source : Lead Design: Buro Ole Scheeren
http://rezoning.vancouver.ca/applica...rgia/index.htm

It's like a quarter of the jenga had fallen off.

[officedweller]

Strange how they used a really really old aerial pic for that mock-up.
West Pender Place isn't even built in it.

Originally Posted by Aroundtheworld

I wonder if the plan is for Georgia to be a dead, car-traffic only street forever.

Pretty much "yes" - because Georgia Street is a a "ceremonial" street, like Burrard Street, with open spaces and plazas.

It's not a retail high street (that's nearby Robson).

[officedweller]

From Frances Bula's twitter posted March 8th:


The current version of the Ole Scheeren tower proposed for West Georgia
https://twitter.com/fabulavancouver/...863425/photo/1

[EdinVan]

Originally Posted by officedweller

From Frances Bula's twitter posted March 8th:


The current version of the Ole Scheeren tower proposed for West Georgia
https://twitter.com/fabulavancouver/...863425/photo/1

Just watch. It will end up looking cheap and drab like Telus Garden.

[Aroundtheworld]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Strange how they used a really really old aerial pic for that mock-up.
West Pender Place isn't even built in it.



Pretty much "yes" - because Georgia Street is a a "ceremonial" street, like Burrard Street, with open spaces and plazas.

It's not a retail high street (that's nearby Robson).

Right, but Burrard St IMO is a lot nicer to walk on than Georgia Street. There's a fair number of cafes and restaurants and other uses that front onto Burrard that make it a decent pedestrian environment. I think they can do a better job on Georgia Street.

[officedweller]

True enough.

Those are fairly recent improvements (Cactus at Bentall V, Joey at Bentall Centre and 800 Burrard, etc.) and rely on the concentration of office workers.

That could happen on the central stretch of Georgia (and is, with Telus Garden) but unlike Burrard, some of the plazas (at Pacific Centre) are being filled in.

For the Georgia east of Richards, I'm curious to see if the plaza at 401 West Georgia will be filled in in that redevelopment (or whether only the Dunsmuir side will be affected). A shift away from institutional use would help the area as will redevelopment of the Post Office).

West of Bute on Georgia, it's mostly residential, so the manicured gardens are unlikely to be replaced by stores and restaurants.

[Klazu]

This tower will go up right behind the red tower and will offer quite a view.

[excel]

Any progress on this tower?

[Feathered Friend]

Great photos Klazu!

This project is still going through the rezoning process. Last I heard, it should have a public hearing before the end of the year, but it's possible that could be delayed.

[Feathered Friend]

I thought I would give everyone a heads up that at the December 12th Council Meeting the proposal will be referred to a public hearing. I think its safe to say that the hearing will take place in January, so keep your schedules clear if you want to go into council and tell them that this striking tower shouldn't have a piece pulled out of it. Also, as a FYI, the projecting will be contributing more then $60 million in fees between DCL, CAC, and public art.

Link to the staff report
http://council.vancouver.ca/20171212/documents/p7.pdf

[Feathered Friend]

http://rezoning.vancouver.ca/applica...rgia/index.htm

The first Public Hearing of the year, January 16th, is almost here, and I think the star project has to be our forum's Jenga Tower. We all know that the project has been nerfed twice over it's lifetime, but I still think its something different enough that it deserves support. It is coming in at 42 stories, an FSR of 10.82, and 220 market units. Much like the Butterfly Tower, there's a major amount of fees going to the city; Roughly 60 million, with 50 million of that in CAC's alone. While there will likely be the usual neighbours complaining about lost views, there is another more serious group of opposition that are raising an issue that should bother most of the people on here.

I'm hearing from some in the know that there are significant headwinds being directed towards the design itself, with some architects, and planners complaining that the design is too much for Vancouver to handle. They are literally calling for a more bland building to be designed here.

While the context is unknown, Ray Spaxman specifically has come out and said:

It seems that some rich and powerful, and-or big and strong people, are able not only to display bad manners, they seem also to obtain the approval of the various authorities that have evolved over time in our communities to prevent the worst “bad manners” from disrupting our sense of comfort in our neighbourhoods.

https://pricetags.wordpress.com/2018...comment-119263

In short, it appears that what should have been a simple rezoning under the West End Plan is turning into something more. I would say to those here who like the design, or at least support all the other amazing designs that have been coming to Alberni, Georgia, Burrard and Thurlow, to write in or speak at the public hearing on January 16th to let City Council know voices of the past that want bland architecture for Vancouver are in the overwhelming minority.

You can either email your comments, or register to speak Tuesday at publichearing@vancouver.ca

[Metro-One]

Don’t write off those being concerned with views.

I have also heard from a very good source that they are expecting extreme opposition to the design and the height (even though it has already been reduced from 152 meters to 134 meters).

Since I am out of the country, I am going to write a letter to council voicing my support for this tower.

It seems that Vancouver’s modest brief confusing semi endorsement for taller towers is now having a major push back.

[rofina]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

http://rezoning.vancouver.ca/applica...rgia/index.htm

The first Public Hearing of the year, January 16th, is almost here, and I think the star project has to be our forum's Jenga Tower. We all know that the project has been nerfed twice over it's lifetime, but I still think its something different enough that it deserves support. It is coming in at 42 stories, an FSR of 10.82, and 220 market units. Much like the Butterfly Tower, there's a major amount of fees going to the city; Roughly 60 million, with 50 million of that in CAC's alone. While there will likely be the usual neighbours complaining about lost views, there is another more serious group of opposition that are raising an issue that should bother most of the people on here.

I'm hearing from some in the know that there are significant headwinds being directed towards the design itself, with some architects, and planners complaining that the design is too much for Vancouver to handle. They are literally calling for a more bland building to be designed here.

While the context is unknown, Ray Spaxman specifically has come out and said:
https://pricetags.wordpress.com/2018...comment-119263

In short, it appears that what should have been a simple rezoning under the West End Plan is turning into something more. I would say to those here who like the design, or at least support all the other amazing designs that have been coming to Alberni, Georgia, Burrard and Thurlow, to write in or speak at the public hearing on January 16th to let City Council know voices of the past that want bland architecture for Vancouver are in the overwhelming minority.

You can either email your comments, or register to speak Tuesday at publichearing@vancouver.ca

Ill be writing a letter.

This is so asinine.

Its one of the densest downtowns in North America, the tower is 40 stories, with a design that's not exactly earth shattering.

I'm literally completely confused by the motivation to opposition on a site like this.

NIMBY on West Side, I can understand. NIMBY in other areas I can usually understand, though not agree with.

NIMBY on West Georgia, for a 40story tower should be shut down instantly.

You want daring? Propose this onsite instead just to give all these people a jammer and get them out of the way.

[Vin]

Those present should take the photos of those NIMBYs (and perhaps their names) and post them on social media, or here. We can label them the "anti-talls". When enough photos are shown, perhaps we can see a trend of some of the usual suspects.