New Vancouver Art Gallery | Proposed

[flight_from_kamakura]

i'm pretty sure that the current vag site is owned by the province and on long term lease to the city. also - the courthouse needs more space? what a shock. how about they demolish part or all of the north block of the existing structure and build something proper, meanwhile carving out a proper square on the south side of robson street.

[s211]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

This link provides a look at a modern building in stockholm which might be comparable in size to a new VAG. Most noticeable is the combination of design texture, yet clean lines. It looks rather elegant, and although some will sneer at it, it could be a drop of inspiration for a new VAG

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbvie...635-modern-architecture-in-stockholm.jpg

It's not a big photo, but it gives an idea of blending modernity with taste, IMHO

You have my support, but we'll have to forget it. I can almost guarantee we'll get the typical PC mishmash with angst-ridden nods to every group that's ever felt marginalized, with an aboriginal overtone sure to offend the very groups meant to be deferential to.

[thenorthofvan]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thum...-stockholm.jpg

Try this, from my posting above. It only shows a part of a building in Stockholm, but you can get the general idea. It's crisp and clean, if you know what I mean. But, as with everything, some will take to it, some won't.
YIKES! This link doesn't work. Go to Post 414 if you're interested and click on the link.

i can hardly tell whats going on in that photo, let alone judge a building from how little that photo actually shows.

[wrenegade]

To reply to a previous post regarding use as a Native Art Gallery, my argument is mainly that there already is a museum dedicated to the use, two would be too many. I'd rather see the Anthropology museum expanded to include more native art works than to have another museum/gallery of similar use.

And the National Portrait Gallery decision hasn't been made. There is still a need for replacement. The gallery's works have been shuffled into the Library and Archives Canada, there isn't a National Portrait Gallery in the physical sense. The government has just refused to make a real decision. The facilities of L&A Canada are not up to the task of appropriately displaying the 20,000 piece collection. There is still a chance this issue will be brought up again and we can have a real solution.

With regards to the Museum of Vancouver, I think that would be a fantastic fit, UBC/Courts, much less so.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by awvan

To reply to a previous post regarding use as a Native Art Gallery, my argument is mainly that there already is a museum dedicated to the use, two would be too many. I'd rather see the Anthropology museum expanded to include more native art works than to have another museum/gallery of similar use.

And the National Portrait Gallery decision hasn't been made. There is still a need for replacement. The gallery's works have been shuffled into the Library and Archives Canada, there isn't a National Portrait Gallery in the physical sense. The government has just refused to make a real decision. The facilities of L&A Canada are not up to the task of appropriately displaying the 20,000 piece collection. There is still a chance this issue will be brought up again and we can have a real solution.

With regards to the Museum of Vancouver, I think that would be a fantastic fit, UBC/Courts, much less so.

I'm all for the Museum of Vancouver moving in there. I looked at their website, and they have some amazing stuff: some serious and war-related, of course, some idiosyncratic, some beautiful, some like a walk down memory lane: the neon sign collection, for example, plus a respectable collection of First Nation art, material relating to early Vancouverites who made a contribution to our city like Pauline Johnson, and hundreds of fascinating photographs of the city and the ships that used to call here. No one would feel marginalized, and there would be something suitable to everybody's tastes. It would not only be a tribute to Vancouver by housing in our finest heritage building, but people would visit Vancouver, and leave talking about the fascinating museum and beautiful building.

[mr.x]

We already have a major First Nations museum at UBC and it recently underwent a major $55-million expansion. There's no need for another native museum....it may not be in Downtown, but it doesn't mean we can't have build other types of museums in the city core.

A new and expanded old courthouse/current VAG for the Museum of Vancouver would be by far my first choice. Second to that would be the National Portrait Gallery of Canada. Cultural institutions belong in this space, not a university and especially not a courthouse. Ideally, I'd have UBC vacate their Robson Square space and move somewhere else so that the MOV can use it.



Meanwhile, the space centre will be moved to be part of a substantially expanded and upgraded Science World (in its current configuration, it only appeases kids - not everyone of all ages). The space that was slated for the art gallery at False Creek would be used for the new Maritime Museum and a performing arts centre. I think the current provincial government would be more inclined to properly fund the new Maritime Museum if it were to be located in Downtown.

As for the old museum building at Vanier Park, I'm not sure what you would do with it...

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

This link provides a look at a modern building in stockholm which might be comparable in size to a new VAG. Most noticeable is the combination of design texture, yet clean lines. It looks rather elegant, and although some will sneer at it, it could be a drop of inspiration for a new VAG

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbvie...635-modern-architecture-in-stockholm.jpg

It's not a big photo, but it gives an idea of blending modernity with taste, IMHO

It look like a bland office park building along Number 6 road.
we can do better.

[delboy]

all good comments - as for the proposed site for VAG being too isolated, if people can find the museum of anthropology, they can find the new VAG. I think we're forgetting how tiny the downtown core is here.

Vancouver really needs to up the cultural image of the city and needs great institutions along the lines of a great VAG and a museum, a proper one.

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by mr.x

We already have a major First Nations museum at UBC and it recently underwent a major $55-million expansion. There's no need for another native museum....it may not be in Downtown, but it doesn't mean we can't have build other types of museums in the city core.

A new and expanded old courthouse/current VAG for the Museum of Vancouver would be by far my first choice. Second to that would be the National Portrait Gallery of Canada. Cultural institutions belong in this space, not a university and especially not a courthouse. Ideally, I'd have UBC vacate their Robson Square space and move somewhere else so that the MOV can use it.



Meanwhile, the space centre will be moved to be part of a substantially expanded and upgraded Science World (in its current configuration, it only appeases kids - not everyone of all ages). The space that was slated for the art gallery at False Creek would be used for the new Maritime Museum and a performing arts centre. I think the current provincial government would be more inclined to properly fund the new Maritime Museum if it were to be located in Downtown.

As for the old museum building at Vanier Park, I'm not sure what you would do with it...

If you're clearing out the building at Vanier Park that houses the Museum of Vancouver and the MacMillan Space Centre, perhaps it can be re-used as a new native museum? isn't he roof supposed to represent a salish hat?


Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museum_of_Vancouver


It may be appropriate since a slice of this land is still indian reserve (and I think it is part of a land claim as part of a treaty settlement)

Don't forget that the locals in Kits have been dreaming for decades of bulldozing this building in order to eliminate the crowds of tourists and tour buses that are infiltrating their enclave. if the building becomes empty, they will use that as an excuse to knock it over.

[Hed Kandi]

Toronto has seen Liebeskind craft one of the greatest art galleries in modern times.

"Image removed due to lack of link"



There are perhaps only a dozen or so architecture firms out there which possess the talent to do the proposed art gallery justice, Liebeskind's studio is one of them.

"Image removed due to lack of link"

[BCPhil]

The Centennial Museum Building (MOV) is amazing. It's a great piece of Vancouver architecture and built for Canada's Centennial. I would hate to see it not be used by an amazing public institution. And yes, it is supposed to resemble a basket weave hat or basket from the First Nations.

I'm not sure which is bigger though? The MOV might have more exhibit space at it's current location than the VAG has.

It might be more interesting to split the museum in 2 if the VAG relocates. Make the Old Courthouse more about BC history, shown through art and pictures and models and historical artifacts, like a museum of history. The MOV has a rather large collection of historical artifacts, that I think would be well suited for display in a historical building right downtown.

While the current MOV location becomes more like a museum of Civilization, combining more recent aspects of BC and Canadian culture and industry. It can bring together First Nations history with the history of Colonization. I can sort of see something like they have in the Royal BC Museum with an emphasis on 3 dimensional displays (dioramas) and High Tech interactive displays. The Space center and a more interactive museum would be a great destination for families who are a little too grown up for Science World but a bit too immature to enjoy the finner points of BC history and art.

The old Courthouse would be more for tourists and locals to learn about our (actually very interesting) history, and the MOV location would be more about what we're like as a multi-faceted culture.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by jsbertram

If you're clearing out the building at Vanier Park that houses the Museum of Vancouver and the MacMillan Space Centre, perhaps it can be re-used as a new native museum? isn't he roof supposed to represent a salish hat?



It may be appropriate since a slice of this land is still indian reserve (and I think it is part of a land claim as part of a treaty settlement)

Don't forget that the locals in Kits have been dreaming for decades of bulldozing this building in order to eliminate the crowds of tourists and tour buses that are infiltrating their enclave. if the building becomes empty, they will use that as an excuse to knock it over.

Agreed - it would make a good location for a native museum - esp. with the roof design.

[djmk]

i must of been to museum of vancouver several dozen times without knowing it was a museum.

i just called it "the place to watch laser light shows with the shiny crab out front"

then again.... who actually visits this place sober? that would be just weird. pink floyd and led zeppelin forever!

[djmk]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Agreed - it would make a good location for a native museum - esp. with the roof design.

it looks like a salish head wear... or hat...

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by Hed Kandi

Toronto has seen Liebeskind craft one of the greatest art galleries in modern times.





There are perhaps only a dozen or so architecture firms out there which possess the talent to do the proposed art gallery justice, Liebeskind's studio is one of them.

...

Isn't the Royal Ontario Museum project by Daniel Libeskind already leaking? There are rumours that the Gehry-designed Art Gallery of Ontario is also leaking.

That'll have to be something to consider since we live in a RAIN FOREST.

[jlousa]

All photos must be accompanied by links to the source, otherwise they will be removed and the posters warned/disciplined.

Come on guys the rules aren't that hard to follow.

[red-paladin]

I hate Libeskind's work and think the ROM expansion is one of the worst piece of crap I've ever seen.
Let's throw a bag of quartz crystals on the floor and spray paint it silver! It looks like a nice building collapsed.

In 30-50 years, all that junk will be hated and there will be calls from far and wide to have it torn down, just like all that brutalist garbage that was supposed to be revolutionary and "recalibrate aesthetics for ever".

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by BCPhil

The Centennial Museum Building (MOV) is amazing. It's a great piece of Vancouver architecture and built for Canada's Centennial. I would hate to see it not be used by an amazing public institution. And yes, it is supposed to resemble a basket weave hat or basket from the First Nations.

I'm not sure which is bigger though? The MOV might have more exhibit space at it's current location than the VAG has.

It might be more interesting to split the museum in 2 if the VAG relocates. Make the Old Courthouse more about BC history, shown through art and pictures and models and historical artifacts, like a museum of history. The MOV has a rather large collection of historical artifacts, that I think would be well suited for display in a historical building right downtown.

While the current MOV location becomes more like a museum of Civilization, combining more recent aspects of BC and Canadian culture and industry. It can bring together First Nations history with the history of Colonization. I can sort of see something like they have in the Royal BC Museum with an emphasis on 3 dimensional displays (dioramas) and High Tech interactive displays. The Space center and a more interactive museum would be a great destination for families who are a little too grown up for Science World but a bit too immature to enjoy the finner points of BC history and art.

The old Courthouse would be more for tourists and locals to learn about our (actually very interesting) history, and the MOV location would be more about what we're like as a multi-faceted culture.

I like the idea of having the MOV having two facilities, one at Vanier and the other one at the old courthouse in Downtown. I think it would work quite well, and if the space centre moves out to Science World the MOV can also take up that space.

But I am certainly opposed to another First Nations museum taking up that space. The MOA at UBC is massive, and it's already the established First Nations museum. There's no need nor demand for a second one.

[SpongeG]

are you anti-native?

[invisibleairwaves]

Originally Posted by red-paladin

I hate Libeskind's work and think the ROM expansion is one of the worst piece of crap I've ever seen.
Let's throw a bag of quartz crystals on the floor and spray paint it silver! It looks like a nice building collapsed.

In 30-50 years, all that junk will be hated and there will be calls from far and wide to have it torn down, just like all that brutalist garbage that was supposed to be revolutionary and "recalibrate aesthetics for ever".

I agree completely. I don't understand what anyone sees in it...it's monstrous, offensive, and doesn't bother to pay the slightest bit of respect to the architecture surrounding it, or even the very building it's tacked on to. And apparently the ROM has been having all kinds of trouble actually using the awkward space. Simply hideous. I'd rather see a Standard Issue Green Glass Tower™ over that pile of fugly. Daring does not necessarily mean good, even in a city as architecturally bland as Vancouver.