New Vancouver Art Gallery | Proposed

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by djmk

Actually, I was surprised that no totem poles were used in the design given VAG's love affair with Emily Carr and the general West Coast Native culture.

Although there have been great guest collections on tour through the VAG (Edvard Munch, The Dutch World of Painting, Impressionists), Emily Carr is IMO the best permanent collection.
But no, I still don't like the Doric Columns and Totem Pole design mixed together. Rather like apples and shoe polish.

[BCPhil]

Originally Posted by logan5

Maybe the design is growing on me. Looking at it again, i kinda like it.

I think what throws me off and maybe other people is the top. The big box top is just distracting. It's like seeing a guy in a stove pipe top hat today: WTF!?

And the top box is probably just one large room that will house one huge modern art piece. Does it need to be there. Why have a room like that at the top of a building when it doesn't take advantage of being at the top (the view)?

It would probably look like a really nice building if that box were gone, but then the museum would be way too small.

Forgive my hasty 2 minute photoshop:


See, now it's a nice building. The wood construction is more to scale with what wood should be.

I think the main problem is the lack of windows. At no time in our history did we build buildings with so much wood an no windows. It just looks unnatural for a building made out of a natural material.

I think if it needs to be taller, then brick/concrete should be featured in the design to vary it up a little. And it would also fit in with the short construction timeline of Vancouver: Wood -> brick/concrete -> glass.

EDIT: the other option if you need the top room gallery, is to forget about it being bare wood. Just make is a space that either houses exterior art (like the facade of the current gallery did during the Olympics), or for banners advertising what's the current temporary display (like the facade of the current Gallery). The plain wooden box is just so off putting.

[officedweller]

You're right, much better.

The art galleries have the same problem posed by a conventions centre - large windowless spaces - but in the case of the Vancouver Convention Centre expansion, that big box in underground, and the ballrooms and exhibit spaces above grade are surrounded by public corridors with glass and views to the outside. That can also be said of the west side of the Canada Place exhibition halls too.

Here, they are being either "honest" or "lazy" in accommodating the actual use.

Even a lattice or trellises, etc. over the blank facade would add a layer of complexity.

[Migrant_Coconut]

^ That might actually work.

[mezzanine]

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

I just think that it's hypocritical of the VAG to extol the injustice of them only being able to display X% of their collection in their current premises, which they deride as being far too small, then they turn around and put forward a design that only offers a marginal increase in floor area (granted, I'm sure, with far greater space efficiency) without any visible opportunity to expand over time in phases. I'm not a fan of this design at all.

Where did you get this? AFAIK, the new gallery will double exhibition space.

The project has a total floor area of 310,000 square feet, including 85,000 square feet of exhibition space – more than twice the existing space found at the old Robson Square courthouse building.

IMO, an art gallery isn't just a storeroom for art, but you have to assemble shows and curate to connect to people. I think the varied floors allow for different sized galleries to display different pieces. The new gallery also includes an auditorium for school groups, lectures, movies and other events which the current gallery lacks.

But just as important are the variety of gallery spaces, of different shapes and sizes, with different sources of light.

Perhaps just as integral to the new vision for the VAG are the many public spaces where it can engage with the community. There’s a 350-seat theatre, not relegated to the basement, as it so often is in other major galleries, Binswanger points out, but thrust right up into the central heart of the institution and part of an expansive new education centre. Bartels looks forward to staging everything from performance art to film screenings and talks there. Transparent lower levels, as well as peek-a-boo views into galleries from the street, are meant to add to the inviting feel.

http://www.straight.com/arts/544176/vanc...ighlights-wood-huge-public-courtyard-and

[whatnext]

The VAG proposal is an eyesore and imagine what it will look like after ten years in our dank winters.

Here's a pic I took last time of the new Broad Gallery going up in downtown LA. Classic timeless design by Diller Scofidio + Renfro. No wasted space yet enough imagination to hint at what's inside. What a contrast to the gimmicky Herzog & de Meuron mess!

[IMG][/IMG]

More on the building: http://www.thebroad.org/about/building

I can hardly wait till my next trip down to LAX to experience it!

[Spork]

The Broad is awesome. I was there a month ago, and the building is everything that a gallery should be!

[christmas]

I don't think we've seen this image before

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Spork

The Broad is awesome. I was there a month ago, and the building is everything that a gallery should be!

Cool, any pics to share with us?

[officedweller]

That really looks like a construction hoarding at street level.

Originally Posted by mezzanine

Where did you get this? AFAIK, the new gallery will double exhibition space.

He may be thinking of the Audain Art Gallery in Whistler, which is a bit larger than the existing VAG space.

[officedweller]

Nice!
They even got the diagonals to match up on the corners!
(unlike the Surrey Public Library's diagonal mullions)

Originally Posted by whatnext

Here's a pic I took last time of the new Broad Gallery going up in downtown LA. Classic timeless design by Diller Scofidio + Renfro. No wasted space yet enough imagination to hint at what's inside. What a contrast to the gimmicky Herzog & de Meuron mess!

[IMG][/IMG]

[a very long weekend]

Originally Posted by christmas

I don't think we've seen this image before

that's a very beautiful building!

[Vantage]

Not the biggest fan of the current design. I just wish we had a new art gallery.

[dreambrother808]

The VAG design is enigmatic and timeless. The LA example screams "contemporary art gallery" in a way that is too obvious.

[BCPhil]

Originally Posted by a very long weekend

that's a very beautiful building!

From that angle it's great. I just think it is way too much uninterrupted wood up top. It really needs some west coast inspired lattice work or something.

It's just something subconsciously annoying about it.

Like maybe it's because it goes against convention and all the wood panels are all arranged vertically, when typical local construction has your wooden siding on horizontally? Or maybe it just needs a roof with a bit of overhand and some decorative braces keeping it up.

Maybe my subconscious is just thinking: Hey, where is all the rain water going to go off that thing? You can't have a wood building without eavestroughs!

I wish they would render it and put it in google earth so we could see what it looks like in 3d.

[madog222]

Is this the design or just their proposal concept?

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by BCPhil

Or maybe it just needs a roof with a bit of overhand and some decorative braces keeping it up.

Maybe my subconscious is just thinking: Hey, where is all the rain water going to go off that thing? You can't have a wood building without eavestroughs!

There are a lot of buildings designed nowadays that don't seem to take into account that it rains here...

[Infrequent Poster]

Originally Posted by madog222

Is this the design or just their proposal concept?

this is something I would like to know as well. I thought I read something saying they werent sure if using all that wood was the right choice (it isnt). If this is the design, I agree (with bc phil) the last tall blank box on top sort of ruins it. In my opinion.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by BCPhil

From that angle it's great. I just think it is way too much uninterrupted wood up top. It really needs some west coast inspired lattice work or something.

It's just something subconsciously annoying about it.

Like maybe it's because it goes against convention and all the wood panels are all arranged vertically, .....
....is all the rain water going to go off that thing? You can't have a wood building without eavestroughs!

I wish they would render it and put it in google earth so we could see what it looks like in 3d.

IMO, if in fact they go through with the wooden design or variant thereof, it should have a lot of greenery around it, and mostly year-round evergreen at that.
Not only Japanese or Scotch pines, but a lot of broadleaf evergreens; magnolias, you name it. The greenery effect - with flowering plants like camellias and big rhododendrons
would "soften" the design > which stands out like a sore thumb but WTF >
green leaves, flowers, and ornamental tree trunks would go well here. Somthing is needed to offset this hokey, hybrid, Asian/BC West Coast anomalous piece of sophomoric razzamatazz.

[Jebby]

Originally Posted by a very long weekend

that's a very beautiful building!

This guy agrees: