One place that has been neglected in terms of lighting - and here I'm talking street level - is the Georgia façade of the current Vancouver Art Gallery.
People are so understandably wrapped up with all the new construction and lighting thereof happening in the city, that it's understandable that they would overlook this, but it is very significant for several reasons.
First, it occupies a place that, like it or not, is more or less at the "heart" of downtown Vancouver. Facing onto Georgia, with Howe and Hornby streets on either side put you right at "ground zero" whether you like it or not. People often drive past it and take it for granted because it's been there so long, but there it is.
Secondly, and equally importantly, this building, designed by Rattenbury, is perhaps the finest true "heritage building" in the city. The design is neo-classical, and the Greco-Roman influence can be seen manifesting itself in the classic Georgian design of the building, culminating in the grand staircase, the Doric colums, and the elegant stone lions.
Yet most of the "action" happens of the Robson side of the building, leaving the Georgia side in neglect.
One travesty is the neglect of the grand staircase, and above all, the regal stone lions. In most cities, the citizenry would want to celebrate this oasis of classic elegance, but in Vancouver, the building front sits in quasi-obscurity, the only thing really lit up being the aesthetically questionable Centennial Fountain.
I think the lions could be dramatically lit up, for example with white lighting one aone side, and another colour, whether gold or blue on the other to give a counterpoint effect and dramatize this jewel of elegance for all it's worth.
I've seen plans for turning the building into a hotel lobby, adding concrete wings to it, and otherwise permutating it into something altogether different like concrete recombinant DNA. The results are often impressive, but lack refinement, and are a kick in the face to the neoclassical design of the building and (don't everybody boo and hiss when I say this) but a testimonial to the lack of taste and indifference to something truly elegant.
Why has this allowed to go on so long? Why ahs nobody addressed the topic? Doesn't ANYBODY out there get irked when they see this potentially regal site "rotting" visually?
Again, this is partly undertsndable in a city like Vancouver, where "NEW ! ! "
is the order of the day, and "old" seems to take a back seat.
But it's a tragedy that "Georgia Square" and the magnificent classical building façade have never been given any treatment, and are just left like a second class citizen,
while the weird stone fountain bubbles merrily along in harsh primary colours of red yellow and blue.
The future of that building, and the aesthetic treatment of it over the years to come will be a litmus test of whether the majority of Vancouverites are informed and culture-minded, or dazzled by condos and glitz.
As a closing remark, (if anyone is still reading) I'd like to say, form 10,000
km away,
WOULD SOMEBODY PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE TAKE UP THE GEORGIA V.A.G. FACADE, AND GIVE IT THE ELEGANT UPGRADE IT DESERVES ? ?
If not, The city will have proven itself to be what others have called it, and what it hates to be thought of as: a gigantic, new-rich, hicktown.
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Light up our heritage, too, please .........
the way it is ...........................
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