New Vancouver Art Gallery | Proposed

[djmk]

it would be even better if there was a place to grab a coffee or brew and chill

[Vin]

Just a massive European-style piazza now? I can already imagine kids chasing after fluttering pigeons, or mimes performing on the square. However, without classical buildings all around it except for the Art Gallery, this fantasy is somehow not so complete, as it's interrupted by honking cars and buses.

Suddenly my imagination is replaced by a public park which is already in existence: the Yaletown Park! It looks good on paper but no one ever goes there.
http://www.tripleman.com/index.php?showimage=619
To paraphrase Howard Kunstler: "a place so despotic that even the homeless don't want to be there".

We should stop mimicking others and put back what's good for the west coast: some grass, trees and beautiful landscaping: bring some nature back to this place!

[Vin]

Originally Posted by djmk

it would be even better if there was a place to grab a coffee or brew and chill

I wonder what's a bus-plus pavillion.....

[Rocketeer]

Here's some larger screenshots of the plaza rendering:

[Prometheus]

The stated "primary goal" of the redesign:

"To create Vancouver’s pre-eminent and most compelling public square."

Really?

[red-paladin]

I like it a lot.

[djmk]

Originally Posted by Vin

I wonder what's a bus-plus pavillion.....

Yeah. What is a bus-plus pavillion?

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Looks like this one will be going to an open house on the 26th of Nov.

Here are the open house boards.

http://former.vancouver.ca/commsvcs/developmentservices/devapps/800wgeorgia/index.htm

Copied from the other thread.
See Design Rationale - the Bus Plus could become a kiosk, etc.

[osirisboy]

Maybe an titles aren em one things. Tx looks like tables in front of it

[osirisboy]

Originally Posted by Vin

Just a massive European-style piazza now? I can already imagine kids chasing after fluttering pigeons, or mimes performing on the square. However, without classical buildings all around it except for the Art Gallery, this fantasy is somehow not so complete, as it's interrupted by honking cars and buses.

Suddenly my imagination is replaced by a public park which is already in existence: the Yaletown Park! It looks good on paper but no one ever goes there.
http://www.tripleman.com/index.php?showimage=619
To paraphrase Howard Kunstler: "a place so despotic that even the homeless don't want to be there".

We should stop mimicking others and put back what's good for the west coast: some grass, trees and beautiful landscaping: bring some nature back to this place!

The problem with yaletown park is that it isn't smooth. And also there's a bunch of trees on huge mounds. Not to mention the complete failure of the treatment along Nelson. This plaza won't have those issues. One thing they could do to help this plaza is have the front doors to the gallery be the main doors.

[Pinion]

Tile design is interesting but not a fan of the general idea... downtown already has a big useless slab plaza on top of the convention centre.

[mukmuk64]

Originally Posted by Prometheus

The lack of a new central fountain or wading pool is unacceptable for a civilized society. In addition to being beautiful (especially in front of a neo-classical building), they provide open public spaces like this with a sense of destination, a joyful focal point where children and adults can rest, play and cool their feet. They bring refreshing life and animation to what would otherwise be a very hot, dry, sterile and exposed exapanse during summer.

Imagine how inferior the Mill Bistro patio area in Coal Harbour would be without the delightful water fountains and the children running through them.

I like fountains too, but this square simply isn't that big, and there's just not enough room. It needs to be kept simple to be effective.

Vancouver has a lack of public space and this open, plain space is going to be a refreshing break from the claustrophobic designs of many other public spaces in this city.

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by mukmuk64

I like fountains too, but this square simply isn't that big, and there's just not enough room.

That's simply not true. There is more than enough space for a modest-sized fountain. And if the water feature was not a traditional fountain but rather a series of water spouts that shot out of a flush surface, which can be turned off when the space is being used for a larger event, then any question of space is rendered entirely moot. Take this small square in Quebec City, for example:


IMG_7188 by Oris Friesen, on Flickr


Hotel de Ville Fountains by jmaurovich1, on Flickr

Or this square in Montreal:


https://www.flickr.com/photos/jjakerton/4633519325/in/photostream/


Linda Monahan_Montreal Light Life_LA by lm3813a, on Flickr

On the many days when no large special event is taking place, the lack of a refreshing water feature during our hot, dry summers will render the space uncomfortably sterile, barren and inanimate and its absence will be lamented. Mark my words.

This is a neo-classical building in the heart of downtown. There is in fact not a more appropriate place in the entire city for a showcase fountain/water feature. And the failure to incorporate one here would simply be uncivilized and squander so much potential beauty, delight and civic greatness in the city's heart.

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

this looks a bit barren to me. its a giant concrete square with a row of trees around 2 of the 3 sides. it will probably make the area feel quite hot in the sun. natural elements prevent the area from heating up and this has basically none of that.

not even close to being "compelling" though; its boring. it'll be good when we have those busy events in the square about 20 days a year.

[djh]

I agree with what Prometheus said. It seems odd in a modern city to have a major piazza without a water feature.

I think the existing fountain has served its time - it's design isn't right for a re-designed piazza, so it had to go. But that shouldn't mean an end to any water feature. I like those recessed water fountains (such as the one in Coal Harbour in front of the Mill restaurant) that when turned-off are not an obstruction to congregating.

In order for the new piazza to work, I think the city has to mandate it to be an area where buskers, cultural performances and maybe even kiosks are freely allowed. I don't mean it should become a cluttered mess of advertising and poor quality, but definitely it should be a destination where tourists and residents can pass by and expect something cultural that is worthy of their attention.

Not sure how that can be monitored, but I'd like to see mobile art installations, musicians, street artists making murals, good quality magicians and such, people p[laying chess, samples of Canadian food being passed out by restaurants (without massive advertising banners), poetry performers...interesting stuff, not selling me stuff.

[trofirhen]

At present, the plaza is gloomy at night. I would love to see the regal lions, magnigicent stairway and columns lit up at night, with as Promethius says, a small fountain that
could be shut offf at event times. This plaza has a "Trafalgar Square-ish" feeling. I'd love it if they could play on that, giving the city a regal, regency centrepoint.

(Anyway, it sure beats out those three prior suggestions put forth a while back: 1. A Plalo Ring 2. A granite fountain wall 3. A kiddies' wading pool.)

For variety, though, I'd like to see a cluster, perhaps, of scotch pines, and a few flowering shrubs like camellia or rhododendrons. The all-maple effect is typical
Canadian blaaaah.

[csbvan]

I like it for the most part. Maybe a small fountain or a public art display in the centre would complete it. I'm just happy that now the public realm of our two court houses (past and present) will create a linear plaza through the heart of the city. It is an interesting effect.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by red-paladin

I like it a lot.

So do I. It's clean, open, uncluttered and ungimmicky. Just make sure it's lit up at night

[memememe76]

I have no need for a water feature. I think a big art display would be fine. I personally like the Digital Orca. I'm thinking something like The Bean would work well here.

[mukmuk64]

Originally Posted by Prometheus

That's simply not true. There is more than enough space for a modest-sized fountain. And if the water feature was not a traditional fountain but rather a series of water spouts that shot out of a flush surface, which can be turned off when the space is being used for a larger event, then any question of space is rendered entirely moot. Take this small square in Quebec City, for example:

On the many days when no large special event is taking place, the lack of a refreshing water feature during our hot, dry summers will render the space uncomfortably sterile, barren and inanimate and its absence will be lamented. Mark my words.

This is a neo-classical building in the heart of downtown. There is in fact not a more appropriate place in the entire city for a showcase fountain/water feature. And the failure to incorporate one here would simply be uncivilized and squander so much potential beauty, delight and civic greatness in the city's heart.

A fountain of this nature still takes up a great deal of space and limits flexibility of the public space. Now events have to be "official" or risk being soaked. This is the major protest space in Vancouver. I think it needs to be kept flexible for that use.

As we've seen during our last summer, during a hot and dry spell its most likely that any sprinklers will simply be turned off, so it seems like an unnecessary expense.