Sears Building: Public Art? | Idea Pool/Concept

[furbe]

I think most of us would agree that the Sears building is a boring white rectangular box. Nothing imaginative, nothing inspiring, nothing rather interesting.



And yet, it sits at perhaps the most visible location in the city, adjacent to the Art Gallery, and at the intersection of Robson and the revitalized Granville Street.

Not long ago, I came across the following video:

http://vimeo.com/5677104

I had always thought the Sears building could serve as a canvas for advertising or art, with it's lack of windows, massive walls, and neutral building material.

After watching that video, I'm inspired once again for what could be.

In the back of my head, I thought some advertiser would step up prior to the Olympics and throw up some ads, and they may still, but perhaps it's time to lobby for this space post 2010.

It's my opinion that this city desperately needs some high profile public art projects. Something that showcases that we're more than painted bears, eagles and orcas.

Turning the Sears building into a giant TV screen for the communication of visual arts might be a big enough project to change peoples perceptions of this place being an over regulated, artistically boring city.

[Yume-sama]

I've never really thought about how ugly it is, but it is pretty ugly. And dirty!! It could use... SOMETHING.

Here's an example of a department store in Tokyo...


Now, could we do that? No... LIGHT POLLUTION! VIEWS! CONDOS! BLAH! CAR CRASHES PEOPLE DIEING! But, surely something could be done to wrap the building in... nice... things.

Or at least clean it?

[Delirium]

i remember reading long ago that part of the granville street redesign included a projection screen (or videowall) on the Sears building facing granville.

no idea if that's still planned though.

[AlexYVR]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

Now, could we do that? No... LIGHT POLLUTION! VIEWS! CONDOS! BLAH! CAR CRASHES PEOPLE DIEING! But, surely something could be done to wrap the building in... nice... things.

Sorry, what kind of discourse does this encourage?

[AlexYVR]

And, yes, sears would look great with some sort of covering. Sort of like a paper bag over a face. . .how cool would it be to have a movie night where you could sit on the art gallery steps/Georgia square with picnic blankets and watch something projected on the side of Sears?

[Yume-sama]

Originally Posted by AlexYVR

Sorry, what kind of discourse does this encourage?

That is all of the arguments against it that would be made (and have in the past) if we ever did try anything remotely like that.

[officedweller]

The recladding for the "new" "eatons" about 10 years ago really bastardized the building - before it was at least true to 70s modernism - black and white clean lines. Now it has been messed up with some suburban big box detailing added at the corners.

Consider recladding akin to the podium of the Toronto International Fillm Festival Centre in Toronto:

Pic by Drum118 on UrbanToronto:

[sono65]

I like the public art projection idea. Not only would it serve to add more action and ambiance to the area for people who are already there, it would actually bring people down there who would actually want to see a show like that. But again, you will probably have too many people finding the most minescule thing to complain about, keeping something like this from happening.

[Metro-One]

Projections look weak though, they are faded and often washed in colour, not to mention Sears would have to actually keep the building clean for it to work properly.

Video screens is the proper way to go.

What I imagine is the entire Granville Side (since this side will distract the fewest residents and motorists) should be one giant wall screen.

During the day it could alternate between playing local content (community event listings, tourist videos, news bulletins), commercials and sporting events. At night it could play more artistic videos (such as the example shown in the first post) which change every week or so (or have the same 7 pieces play 4 times a month and every month has a new batch) possibly making it a nightly event that people would like to see, along with hockey games during the hockey season and possibly seasonal movies during holidays.

Not to mention a video screen this large would be big enough to display commercials during such events as games and PSAs.

To me, that would become a famous Vancouver landmark and a talked about artistic piece. It would only make sense for a city do involved with video & film production to have a flagship video art piece.

[Spork]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Projections look weak though, they are faded and often washed in colour, not to mention Sears would have to actually keep the building clean for it to work properly.

Video screens is the proper way to go.

What I imagine is the entire Granville Side (since this side will distract the fewest residents and motorists) should be one giant wall screen.

During the day it could alternate between playing local content (community event listings, tourist videos, news bulletins), commercials and sporting events. At night it could play more artistic videos (such as the example shown in the first post) which change every week or so (or have the same 7 pieces play 4 times a month and every month has a new batch) possibly making it a nightly event that people would like to see, along with hockey games during the hockey season and possibly seasonal movies during holidays.

Not to mention a video screen this large would be big enough to display commercials during such events as games and PSAs.

To me, that would become a famous Vancouver landmark and a talked about artistic piece. It would only make sense for a city do involved with video & film production to have a flagship video art piece.

Bravo! Very cool idea. Now to cut through the Vancouver red tape... hmm...

[SpongeG]

i think a light thing would be cool enough - enough with advertising

something like this


sydneyobservatory.com blog


gloabeandmail


http://blog.thesuitescollection.com/.../tree-studios/


lucybullivant.net - building in brussels...


jsonline blog

i kinda like it plain too - like the new museum on the bowery in new york...

museumlab.org

[David]

I would like to note that advertising is not public art.

[Yume-sama]

Originally Posted by David

I would like to note that advertising is not public art.

Whaaaaa?

That museum is ugly, btw, and thankfully this city would NEVER allow anything like it.

[delboy]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

Whaaaaa?

That museum is ugly, btw, and thankfully this city would NEVER allow anything like it.

agreed.

[sono65]

Originally Posted by David

I would like to note that advertising is not public art.

I'll take anything than what is currently there, a dirty blank wall.

[trofirhen]

There are many possibilities. "Movie night" would be contingent on Sears keeping the building clean and/or having a giant screen. Yume's picture of the Tokyo department store lit up at night is one small example of how that city is ablaze with gorgeous colours at night, especially in Shinjuku. Light pollution? Perhaps. There are always nay-sayers against every suggestion.
Personally, I'd like to see the sucker torn down, and a long, glassy, light, airy atrium built in its place, full of interesting stores, intimate courtyards, galleries, trees, and high-end everything, like some of the complexes in places like Beverly Hills and downtown L.A., full of light, colour, and positive energy, with a tall, thin, elegant tower at the south end at Robson. Possiblilities, possibilities, possibilities. The ideas are endless, and the arguments that will come up against each idea are endless, too. What a waste of great downtown space. Hey ....... who precisely DESIGNED that piece of junk anyway? Let's go find him, and .........


sorry folks. Got a little carried away here. Not my usual urbane self tonight.

[djh]

Originally Posted by David

I would like to note that advertising is not public art.

Precisely.

It needs decorating, not adding a gaudy giant 99cents pizza billboard or something.

Having said that, we probably see things through the dirty lens of time. Most people would love to see neon signs the length of Granville because it is "nearly" art, or at least artistic. Remember those same signs were originally created to advertise a product and grab your attention first, not necessarily to look pretty.

Maybe we'll feel the same one day about a ginormous "FUTURE SHOP" sign...

Not.

[MistyMountainHop]

It needs to be demolished, not decorated!

[sono65]

I think Leftcoaster has hinted that it will be demolished in time, but it's not for another few years. So since it's not going anywhere in the meantime, we might as well utilize it to it's full potential.

Or not and be lame as always.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by marmorek

It needs to be demolished, not decorated!

Agreed. I posted an idea on that. How would you treat the space if it were demolished?