New Vancouver Art Gallery | Proposed

[Sprawl]

Originally Posted by Klazu

This is an office building in Moscow, but IMO a much better iteration of exactly the same idea and would likely work as a museum as well.

Dominion Office Building by Zaha Hadid Architects.

See, this is precisely what Vancouver needed to avoid. Thankfully, in part due to the VAG's robust RFQ, it has successfully dodged the generic, could-be-anywhere Starchitecture based on nothing other than what's trendy in the mid-2010s that many other cities and institutions fall victim too.

Instead, they've given rise to a scheme which reflects the city’s heritage and surroundings with sophistication and distinction. The end result may not be to your aesthetic taste but, to my mind, this process and the resulting cultural references embedded in the design will make a lasting contribution to the city far in excess of what some contextless blob dropped in from afar ever could.

[Pinion]

Even just a change to the arrangement of boxes would've helped. It looks like our stupid 2010 logo, which I am sure is not coincidence.

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by GlassCity

That sounds nice. Hopefully there aren't any trees or bushes to detract from the entrance visually. If there are they should at least be neatly trimmed.

I like a trimmed VAG too.....

The more I look at this the more I like it.

The only silly part is the cost. Seriously, 300 million?

[logan5]

Originally Posted by Sprawl

Instead, they've given rise to a scheme which reflects the city’s heritage and surroundings with sophistication and distinction.

It may reflect the city's surroundings, but in no way is this building sophisticated. I presume all that money will be spent on the interior.

[csbvan]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

I like a trimmed VAG too.....

The more I look at this the more I like it.

The only silly part is the cost. Seriously, 300 million?

The Rijksmuseum renovation in Amsterdam (a MASSIVE undertaking that turned out beautifully and took 10 years, but still a renovation) cost 375 million Euros. So museums/art galleries certainly do not come at a discount.

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by steve61

http://www.straight.com/files/v3/images/15/09/438-rep-1_150922_press-images2.jpg

I jut realised what is wrong with this render.

They have deleted the Media Club from the east side of the QE Plaza.
looks like they removed the parkade under the QE Plaza too.

[officedweller]

The VAG proposes to demolish the Media Club restaurant building and the P1 level to level the plaza with the future VAG plaza.

[Klazu]

Let's have also rest of the renderings in higher resolution. All from Straigth.com

[osirisboy]

The wood, the trees, the bunker, the sunken plaza. It doesn't look inviting at all. it has a bizarre 70s vibe so that's probably why hipsters like it.

[csbvan]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

The wood, the trees, the bunker, the sunken plaza. It doesn't look inviting at all. it has a bizarre 70s vibe so that's probably hipsters like it.

What fact supported insight.

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by officedweller

The VAG proposes to demolish the Media Club restaurant building and the P1 level to level the plaza with the future VAG plaza.

To level the Queen Elizabeth Theatre plaza with any future project on the Larwill Park site (i.e., to destroy the plane of the current plaza and create a slope depicted in the rendering) would be uncivilized. In fact, it is incomprehensible that an urban cultural institution that supposedly takes architecture and city-building seriously would even propose or desire that the Queen Elizabeth Theatre do such a thing.

The parkade entrance and the Media Club should certainly be removed. But instead of destroying the current plane of the QET plaza (which is exactly where it should be) and creating an ungainly slope, the promise of the current plaza should finally be realized by completing and extending its grand steps on Georgia and Cambie Street once the indignities of the parkade entrance and Media Club have been removed.

Steps connecting the QET plaza with Cambie Street would be remarkably sympathetic (even congruous) with any serious cultural institution (that has the ability to stand on its own feet architecturally) across the street, while the dignity and grandeur of a proper level theatre plaza would be vindicated and undefiled.

[Spork]

I went to the presentation last night, and before attending, I was not enthusiastic about the design. Once the architects had explained what they were trying to do with the accessibility of the programming and the circulation, the format begins to make a lot more sense. It is not about what the building looks like from a distance, but how you interact with it once you are at street level (passing by) or inside of it. This is where the building is most successful.

They mentioned that the materials, QE plaza proposals, and all of the other details are subject to change, but they were mostly fixed on the openness of the lower levels (including 40% of the gallery space at or below street level, and making them more accessible to passers by) and the massing in general. Materials can change, orientation can change, and any other detail can change.

The only three things that I am not completely sold on are (1) materials for durability reasons, (2) the inclusion of VAG offices in the gallery itself, and (3) the QE plaza proposal (more trees? the space is functional as an exhibition space today - don't take that away!). Finally, the cost is highly suspect given that the Tate Modern was around the same cost when it was built (yes, inflation is a significant factor, but that building is significantly larger).

In any case, I feel that the fundraising chops of this board or administration just aren't up to the task of soliciting the required funds from the public. There was absolutely no visibility of any fundraising asks at the event last night, and they even had the audacity to have an open bar next door on the future site (with still no donation ask!).

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

The wood, the trees, the bunker, the sunken plaza. It doesn't look inviting at all. it has a bizarre 70s vibe so that's probably why hipsters like it.

I am curious as to your source for hipster statistics?

[osirisboy]

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

I am curious as to your source for hipster statistics?

Oh probably somewhere on statscan 😉

That image showing the interior with the reception desk is a good example of that weird 70s vibe I get. It's almost like a metro station from montreal, not in a good way.

[s211]

Originally Posted by Sprawl

Instead, they've given rise to a scheme which reflects the city’s heritage and surroundings with sophistication and distinction. The end result may not be to your aesthetic taste but, to my mind, this process and the resulting cultural references embedded in the design will make a lasting contribution to the city far in excess of what some contextless blob dropped in from afar ever could.

And what flavour of kool-aid was it they handed out at the unveiling?

[osirisboy]

What are the "cultural references embedded in the design" exactly?? To me this thing is the contextless blob that has been dropped in

[Sprawl]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

Oh probably somewhere on statscan ������

That image showing the interior with the reception desk is a good example of that weird 70s vibe I get. It's almost like a metro station from montreal, not in a good way.

What exactly is wrong with making oblique reference to the architectural principles of that period? Should this building relate only to the moment in which it was designed or strive for a more timeless, abiding presence?

[itinerant]

I like it.

Not unequivocally for a few of the specifics, but I like the concept and materials, and agree it is a very apt representation of Vancouver.

Not sold on the lowered plaza of the QET, and think Prometheus' comments are good on that.

My first thought on seeing these renderings was that this reminds me of some recent projects by Japanese architects. Here are two that came to mind:

Asakusa Culture and Tourism Building By Kengo Kuma & Associates
This firm is designing the proposed new building at 1550 Alberni

VancityBuzz

The New Museum in New York by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa/SANAA

BB Code List

[mezzanine]

It helps if you compare it to other art museums built in the past 20-30 years:

Seattle:


(SAM)

SF MOMA:


(wikipedia)

MOMA NYC:


(nycmagazine)


The New Whitney NYC (~2014)


(Whitney)

[whatnext]

Well at least they've created a nice dry place for all the homeless to hang out in. Shame about the building though.

I thought I read something about the city reactivating the QE restaurant? I wonder if they know the VAG has such designs on their property?