New Vancouver Art Gallery | Proposed

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Speaking of wriggling, try naming a Burnaby centre that's broken ground since 2020... nope, all the new ones are still on paper (same as Vancouver's), and no amount of malls will pay for something as big as the 2013 designs.

Face it - both cities are in the same boat now that the condo bubble has popped and Corrigan's developer fees have dried up.

I don't need to wriggle: facts speak for themselves.

How about the Lougheed Centre library and community centre?
And even for smaller cities like New Westminster, you have the Aquatic Centre and community centre as well as their waterfront parks.
Do your own googling, and you'll find many others, but my time is too precious to do that for you. You'll be surprised how mixed developments, including malls, can pay for all these facilities. For instance, a massive amount of condos including mixed developments paid for the new Canada Line skytrain station in Richmond.

As far as we know, there is still a construction boom in Burnaby. Just go count the number of construction cranes arround. No matter what you imagine, Burnaby remains one of the richest cities in the region.


Just admit that the City of Vancouver had been seriously mismanaged and its policies drove lots of money into the suburbs: hence we have the predicament today. Despite having philanthropists donating so much into the City's coffers, we still can't even build a lousy art gallery. With all the bluster and talk, we can't even afford to pull down the viaducts, and that's very very shameful to say the least.

[djh]

Originally Posted by officedweller

As Vancouver Art Gallery seeks new building design, should it also look for new location?
https://theprovince.com/opinion/columnists/vancouver-art-gallery-new-design-location

Wow, I must have been out of the loop for this (or it totally slipped my mind).
The article did actually trigger a recalculation for me:

“They could sell it [the Larwill site] for $250 million and give the VAG $200 million … ” Rennie said,

also:

Rennie raised another idea for the gallery’s future: instead of expanding below ground, the VAG could look right across Howe Street, to the 230,000 square feet of empty retail space in Pacific Centre vacated last year by Nordstrom department store.

OK, so let's say they abandon the Larwill Park site and get a $200m net cheque for it. Then they approach the Pacific Centre and take a, what, 100 year lease on the Nordstrom site. That $200m goes a long way towards refurbishment and customisation and recladding and new design, towards making that space work (also I'm sure the landlord themselves would spend some money towards upgrades).

230k sq. ft. of empty space, available TODAY, vs. how big was the art gallery design supposed to be, and probably another 5-10 years before opening? And the location would be A+ with two skytrain lines converging across the street, tourist central with all the major hotels around, underground parking, a city block that has limited ground-level alternative retail, and endless retail on surrounding blocks and below ground.

It just takes a little imagination to think of that building reclad to look more like a modern art gallery rather than an abandoned department store. But I kinda prefer all that donated money plus taxpayer money used for this, rather than what appears to be a big capital expense on a half-assed design that would not be nearly big enough at the Larwill site (it had the very Vancouver air of "we have no money to build things the right size so we'll just build a mid size and then wait for everybody to complain in the future - see Millennium Line, Lion's Gate Bridge, etc.)

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by Vin

I don't need to wriggle: facts speak for themselves.

How about the Lougheed Centre library and community centre?

A temp library in a former department store. With moves like that, I'm sure they'll go far.

Vancouver built for people, Burnaby built for profits... and now even their profits are drying up. I don't need you to admit anything - their slowdown in amenities speaks for itself.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by djh

... But I kinda prefer all that donated money plus taxpayer money used for this, rather than what appears to be a big capital expense on a half-assed design that would not be nearly big enough at the Larwill site (it had the very Vancouver air of "we have no money to build things the right size so we'll just build a mid size and then wait for everybody to complain in the future - see Millennium Line, Lion's Gate Bridge, etc.)

It sure seems like the VAG management's reach has been exceeding their grasp for quite some time.

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

can they just sell the Larwill site? that was gifted by the city to them. i doubt they could just sell it and the city would be okay with that...

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

A temp library in a former department store. With moves like that, I'm sure they'll go far.

Vancouver built for people, Burnaby built for profits... and now even their profits are drying up. I don't need you to admit anything - their slowdown in amenities speaks for itself.

Hey, at least the small library and community centre serve the community. What's more, these are located in a mall: something you loathe. In Vancouver, there is nothing to show for: not even a pop-up community centre.

Slowdown of amenities in Burnaby you say. What, have you been hiding in a rock?

Say what you want, but there is a large CC coming up in Brentwood: to be built by Grosvenor but mostly funded by Burnaby in case you don't know:

$146 million new community centre approved for Burnaby's Brentwood district
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/brentwood-community-centre-burnaby-brentwood-block-approved

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by Vin

- snip -

Either renovations (such as Marpole) and temp replacements don't count, or they do. It can't be both.

Meanwhile, Burnaby keeps chickening out of a new city hall because of the cost, and sent the $187 million Burnaby Lake Aquatic and Arena design back to the drawing board for being too pricey. You'd have to be on a completely different planet to not notice the Hurley council is downsizing hard.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by djh

OK, so let's say they abandon the Larwill Park site and get a $200m net cheque for it. Then they approach the Pacific Centre and take a, what, 100 year lease on the Nordstrom site. That $200m goes a long way towards refurbishment and customisation and recladding and new design, towards making that space work (also I'm sure the landlord themselves would spend some money towards upgrades).

But this makes zero sense from CF's POV. Sure they aren't going to touch it for 40-50 years but any redevelopment of the block is worth way more in the long run than trying to get VAG to lease the space. And the assumption that the COV will let the Art Gallery sell the site to fund their new building isn't a given. (And they were only given a 99 year lease on 2/3 of the site)

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

But this makes zero sense from CF's POV. Sure they aren't going to touch it for 40-50 years but any redevelopment of the block is worth way more in the long run than trying to get VAG to lease the space. I think VAG is dreaming if they think they are going to walk away with $200 million dollars if they end up not building on that site.

I don't think VAG is thinking of building anywhere other than Larwill. That was Bob Rennie's idea, and he's not been involved with VAG for years.

It might have been a good idea to consider The Post when it became available, but the VAG Director at the time wanted a starchitect box that wasn't a conversion of anything (and they hadn't raised funds then, so almost certainly couldn't have competed with the $130m Quadreal paid in 2013). The Bay might be a good idea too, but it's not for sale yet.

With Jon Stovell and Michael Audain both involved with VAG, it's seems reasonable to think they can come up with a simpler, cheaper design for the site, that can be built with the funds they have already identified.

[officedweller]

Vancouver Art Gallery issues ‘invite’-based RFP to Canadian-based architects for new building

According to a statement on the gallery’s website, on Jan. 22 the board of trustees passed a motion for the RFP.

“This decision marks a significant milestone in our journey. Our goal is to create a new building that celebrates art in all its forms and is emblematic both of our country and our mission, but that also prioritizes achievability, practicality and fiscal responsibility,” the statement reads. “Inherent in this choice is a careful assessment of how we can engage our community in meaningful ways; build within our means and realize a new gallery that reflects Canada’s extraordinary architectural talent.”

A timeline was not specifically stated for the RFP.
...

https://canada.constructconnect.com/joc/...nadian-based-architects-for-new-building

[urbanight93]

Here we go again. By the time this thing is redesigned and built, it will cost $400-600M again.

I hope that when all is said and done there are no regrets. I was very excited to see the copper metallic weave and warm tones of the original design so I’m definitely bummed.

[madog222]

Here are the 14 Canadian firms invited to respond to Vancouver Art Gallery’s RFP

On January 22, 2025, the Vancouver Art Gallery Association’s Board of Trustees passed a motion to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to invite a select group of Canadian-based architecture firms to submit proposals to design a new building.

The 14 firms include the following:

Diamond Schmitt (Vancouver)
Formline Architecture & Urbanism (West Vancouver)
Hariri Pontarini Architects (Toronto)
HCMA (Vancouver)
Henriquez Partners Architects (Vancouver)
Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg KPMB (Toronto)
Michael Green Architecture MGA (Vancouver)
Office of Macfarlane Biggar OMB (Vancouver)
Patkau Architects Inc. (Vancouver)
Perkins+Will (Vancouver)
Revery (Vancouver)
Saucier+Perrotte Architectes (Montreal)
Teeple Architects (Toronto)
5468796 Architecture Inc. (Winnipeg)

A spokesperson from the Vancouver Art Gallery has also confirmed that the new site remains 181 West Georgia at Larwill Park in downtown Vancouver, which is approximately a 10-minute walk from the current building.

From Canadian Architect https://www.canadianarchitect.com/here-a...o-respond-to-vancouver-art-gallerys-rfp/

[officedweller]

I think that one of the ways to have a cheaper building is to have a shorter building with more site coverage.

[urbanight93]

Originally Posted by officedweller

I think that one of the ways to have a cheaper building is to have a shorter building with more site coverage.

I think the main issue they were facing in the old design was related to structural costs of the cantilevers to make the stacked design happen.

I hope that the ultimate design retains elements of the outdoor spaces as that can be used for exhibits and other social functions hosted by the gallery.

I agree though I think the internal ground floor courtyard might be on the chopping block as it limits that level’s floor plate.

Really a shame the design didn’t advance because the finishings were looking to be quality based on all the available information.

[csbvan]

Odd list. But happy to see Patkau, I think that they'd be a good fit.

[jollyburger]

They should do some kind of land swap with some extra cash and build it over at 550 Cambie or the VCC Downtown campus.

Or wait for CBC to shut down their downtown studios.

[s211]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Or wait for CBC to shut down their downtown studios.

You might be on to something. I've no idea why the CBC retains that building, as the CBC's inertia seems to be measurably slowing these days.

Ghost in the (Building) Shell?

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by urbanight93

I think the main issue they were facing in the old design was related to structural costs of the cantilevers to make the stacked design happen.

I hope that the ultimate design retains elements of the outdoor spaces as that can be used for exhibits and other social functions hosted by the gallery.

I agree though I think the internal ground floor courtyard might be on the chopping block as it limits that level’s floor plate.

Really a shame the design didn’t advance because the finishings were looking to be quality based on all the available information.

I think a "public" courtyard at grade may be gone, but an internal courtyard or terraces above grade
would fit the bill for private art gallery events.
That's also probably a good thing too, as security for an at-grade courtyard could be costly.

I'll bet that a larger floorplate at grade would come with a lot of blank walls or,
if they are smart, with clerestory windows or half walls to reduce the potential for glass breakage.

[urbanight93]

This article says that the internal process of picking a new design will be wrapped up by late May to early June, so hopefully the new design will be made public in the summer or by fall 2025 at the latest.

Some other tidbits in the article here: https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7494126

[whatnext]

Doesn't sound as though the VAG is in a good financial spot, even before working on a new gallery. It will be interesting to see what plays out with the Larwill site...

Vancouver Art Gallery confirms layoffs amid operating budget cuts
DH Vancouver Staff
Jun 24 2025, 11:36 am

The Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG) has confirmed layoffs will be taking place, describing the decision as a “difficult but necessary process.”

In an emailed statement to Daily Hive, Jasmine Bradley, VAG senior director of communications, said the move was part of the gallery’s attempt to reduce its operating budget to “ensure long term sustainability.”

“Staff have been informed that reductions will take place across all areas of the Gallery, including staffing. These are hard decisions, but they are being made with care and a continued commitment to our public mission.”....

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-art-gallery-confirms-layoffs