Robson Square Renovations

[officedweller]

From Milkovich architects:


https://twitter.com/MilkovichArch


https://twitter.com/MilkovichArch

[mcminsen]

March 21 '17, my pics

[Pinion]

What is that pole structure supposed to be exactly...?

[nickbeaulieu]

Originally Posted by Pinion

What is that pole structure supposed to be exactly...?

It's a bus shelter.

[Aroundtheworld]

I kind a wish they had a cafe where the bus shelter is. It would have injected more life into the plaza.

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

that plaza is going to be dead most of the year. that's for sure. unless there are constantly events going on, there wont be any reason to be there. at least when it was grass people used it as a place to sit and relax by the fountain.

[LeftCoaster]

How is this plaza going to be dead for sure?

I would think with paving stones it is more usable year round than grass which tends to turn to muck for half the year.

You realize tens of thousands of people work within a 5 minute walk of this square right?

[mcminsen]

Visitors to the new plaza will want to sit and have a beverage and then look for a public washroom. If there is not a coffee/beverage stand and a public toilet on the new plaza then in lieu of that there should be food/beverage trucks or carts and then clear directions to public toilets nearby (VAG, Pacific Centre, Hotel Vancouver, street toilet on Robson near Granville).

[retro_orange]

It's so damn grey and unfriendly looking IMO. Why is everything turning grey in this city, why don't people realize that if our light is cold and grey for more than half of the year and we make everything else grey, it ends up looking so damn depressing because it doubles down on the lack of warmth our eyes see.

I believe there was a point in the very recent past when planners and designers were trying to eliminate the concrete jungle. Vancouver is turning so 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 grey and dull. What happened to brown tones, red, other shades of green etc. Warm tones have a subconscious uplifting feeling.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by mcminsen

March 21 '17, my pics
[

These don't look like cherry trees.

Maybe they're plum trees?
The renderings show flowering trees at this location.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by mcminsen

March 21 '17, my pics

These may be magnolias in the oval planter.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

How is this plaza going to be dead for sure?

I would think with paving stones it is more usable year round than grass which tends to turn to muck for half the year.

You realize tens of thousands of people work within a 5 minute walk of this square right?

May I agree?
This is a rain city, and yes, the grass is (was) sodden and muddy and useless for half the year. Nothing much we can do to change the climate.
The paving stones, though, are of a warmish pinky-grey colour, and yes, this is the centre of the city, rather "The Trafalgar Square" of Vancouver.
IMO it is being developed as best it can be, given the climate, and esthetics.

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Originally Posted by mcminsen

the rendering doesn't really show anything. you have a couple benches without covers, and then a huge empty space. so are people just going to stand around in the rain or what? unless there is some staging or whatever, as that render shows, there's really no reason for people to hang around in the winter. and in the summer, the grass would have more attraction then paving stones which add to making a space feel hotter; at least grass is cooling.

it needs more then that rendering shows to be successful.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by VancouverOfTheFuture

that plaza is going to be dead most of the year. that's for sure. unless there are constantly events going on, there wont be any reason to be there. at least when it was grass people used it as a place to sit and relax by the fountain.

Constant events are the entire point of having a public square.





The old plaza failed as a garden, and failed as a gathering place. Sure, the new one could use a small fountain or two in the corners, but it's going to be WAY more useful regardless.

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Constant events are the entire point of having a public square.





The old plaza failed as a garden, and failed as a gathering place. Sure, the new one could use a small fountain or two in the corners, but it's going to be WAY more useful regardless.

well as long as they actually do that on a continual basis it'll be great.

[mcminsen]

March 20 '17, my pics

[idunno]

When is this scheduled to be finished? Definitely excited to see the final result.

[officedweller]

I wonder if they'll put yellow stripes on the edges of all those steps?

Originally Posted by mcminsen

March 20 '17, my pics

[EdinVan]

Originally Posted by retro_orange

It's so damn grey and unfriendly looking IMO. Why is everything turning grey in this city, why don't people realize that if our light is cold and grey for more than half of the year and we make everything else grey, it ends up looking so damn depressing because it doubles down on the lack of warmth our eyes see.

I believe there was a point in the very recent past when planners and designers were trying to eliminate the concrete jungle. Vancouver is turning so 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 grey and dull. What happened to brown tones, red, other shades of green etc. Warm tones have a subconscious uplifting feeling.

Look who's sitting on Council and you'll have your answer. It all starts from the top.

[SpongeG]

because we have mountains we can't let colourful buildings and surroundings detract from our beautiful mountains. therefore grey it must be.