Robson Square Renovations

[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

[mcminsen]

Here are some views of the art gallery north plaza from today.



Nov.22 '15, my pics

[osirisboy]

What's with the stairs? Fire espacape? It's not shown in the renders. Maybe they will take it out

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

What's with the stairs? Fire espacape? It's not shown in the renders. Maybe they will take it out

These stairs (pic below)? They are in all the site plans and renderings I've seen so far from the link that LeftCoaster posted. Looks like they will be renovated to blend in more.



Nov.22 '15, my pic

[csbvan]

Currently this is a terrible public space. The new plaza will be fantastic, quite an improvement.

[Klazu]

They removed the diagonal path with the renovation? That's stupid, considering how busy it was.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by csbvan

Currently this is a terrible public space. The new plaza will be fantastic, quite an improvement.

Yeah, make it as bad as possible in the short term, people will forget that it was once quite nice, and then they'll cheer when the mediocre renovation is finished.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Yeah, make it as bad as possible in the short term, people will forget that it was once quite nice, and then they'll cheer when the mediocre renovation is finished.

I will admit the plaza redesign is austere. But it will also be brand new, and added features can incrementally be added. Because it is flat, it is a real city-centre pedestrian crossing.
It can be a gathering place too, as well as a place to sit in or walk through. The lions and stairway are rather elegant. An echo of Trafalgar Suare in London, perhaps ....

Hey, I just noted, looking at the site plan elevations and planting plan pdfs,,,, They seem to gettin ready to take out those big cedar/hemlock trees in front of of the building, astride the stairway! The replanted plaza render / designs show them gone. gone.

Can someone explain? Thx

[officedweller]

They are proposed to be removed (as well as the huge magnolia tree at the NW corner).

Probably because designers don't like anything getting in the way of their design - things like historic fountains or large mature healthy trees (the type the City would ordinarily impose massive fines for removing).

[osirisboy]

So great to see them removing them all!!

[LeftCoaster]

If you guys have issues with the new design (I have a few of my own) write to the city or attend the upcoming open house on Thursday Nov 26th. I'll be in town and will for sure find 20 minutes to attend, hopefully all of you can as well.

[jlousa]

You mean I can't just complain on here and hope the city listens???
I plan on attending the open house as well. I will suggest a water feature as some of the previous posters have displayed. Think the white noise created by it would greatly reduce the impact of the traffic noise.

[Klazu]

Yeah, there should be something like a water feature. This kind of simple feature would do.



There should also be some LED lighting with colors included IMO.

[officedweller]

WRT comments - the City did change up the Granville Street revitalization in response to comments -
they kept the trees north of Georgia after there was a public outcry.

I'm not sure of the spruce (?) trees flanking the stairs are worth keeping -
BUT - come springtime, the flowers on that magnolia tree always signal that Spring has arrived
(same way that the cherry trees usually flower for the Sun Run).

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by Klazu

Yeah, there should be something like a water feature. This kind of simple feature would do.



There should also be some LED lighting with colors included IMO.

I can see your point, and would like to point out was that one aspect of the Centennial Fountain was the lighting.
Primary red, yellow and blue, that gave it a harsh, almost cheap feeling about the lighting. I think lighting should be soft and restful, most of the but be able to dazzle during festivals .......
maybe pure white, or violet/tuquoise; blue/white ... the list goes on.
But have a gift here; one of the statelier civic squares in North America, with an amost "Eastern" feeling (Hotel Van, Cathedral place, and the modern cotrast
of Howe Street give a vital feeling, which is only amplified by the criss-cross of people (even if the great hemlocks are being removed.
This I think may rather become the "Union Square" of our CBD
ps: remember Kansas City!

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Hey, I just noted, looking at the site plan elevations and planting plan pdfs,,,, They seem to gettin ready to take out those big cedar/hemlock trees in front of of the building, astride the stairway! The replanted plaza render / designs show them gone. gone.

Can someone explain? Thx

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Here are the open house boards.

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

From LeftCoaster's link:


*************
1. TREE REMOVAL/RETENTION
• Some existing trees are in poor or declining condition, or are recent transplants.
• Some trees are in locations that restrict or preclude uses of the plaza.
• Several tree species are inappropriate for a large urban plaza
• Inconsistent, wide range of tree species with no consistency.
between species type, size, age, spacing and location, creating
an uncoordinated and inelegant urban landscape.
• Some trees obscure site-lines of the heritage Courthouse façade.
• The two large cedars located either side of the VAG/Courthouse
north façade obscure views and limit access to the building,
and present a security risk by creating dead unmonitored space beneath and behind them;
they have been severely pruned for security reasons; they are also transplants,
having originally been planted on the south side of the building.
**************

If you use LeftCoaster's link and look under "Applicant Team's Presentation Boards", there is a page near the bottom called "Site Analysis - Existing Site Inventory". It's a map showing the trees considered in good, fair or poor condition.

[vanman]

The cedars should go. The magnolia should stay. A low profile water feature definitely needs to be added as well like the one Klazu posted.

[Delirium]

delete

[Delirium]

the new design is boring to say the least. looks like the convention centre plaza. nice place to sit and watch the world go by. so very vancouver. spark a joint while you're there? at least one of the original designs had that ring above which was somewhat unique. but scrap that. here we have the lovely wooden plank seating, orderly paving and hey, a bus stop. quite provincial. way to go.

[officedweller]

How legitimate is this?

• Inconsistent, wide range of tree species with no consistency.
between species type, size, age, spacing and location, creating
an uncoordinated and inelegant urban landscape.

In essence it's decrying a variety of trees.

Sounds like the designers would like a series of oak trees like the ones along West Mall in front of the old SUB at UBC (are those still there?)