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An outsider architect helps add to the fabric of Vancouverism

February 29th, 2012 · 11 Comments

We don’t get many prominent non-Vancouver architects doing business in this city. Our best-known ones — Arthur Erickson, Bing Thom, James Cheng, Peter Busby, Gregory and Richard Henriquez — have generated a lot of star power on their own.

But the city is about to see a radically new element in its downtown fabric, with developer Ian Gillespie’s decision to bring in high-profile Danish architect Bjarke Ingels to do an unusual project next to the Granville Bridge.

I got to interview Bjarke and hear more from both him, Gillespie and city planners past and present about what they’re hoping this building will do.

Categories: Uncategorized

  • vancouverstreetblog.blogspot.com

    All I can say is FINALLY a building that’s not a glass tower!!!

  • gmgw

    All in all, it’ll be just another brick in the wall… (of highrises that extends from Stanley Park to Main Street). Ho hum. More sky about to disappear.
    gmgw

  • F.H.Leghorn

    Only 49 stories?

  • Frank Ducote

    I hope we don’t get so jaded that we can’t recognize potential greatness when it’s within our grasp.

    From what I’ve seen of the drawings this could be a simply outstanding development that brings needed life (uses, services and activities) and identitiy to a long neglected piece of the City – our 1950’s era off ramps, and doing so without actually removing them in the process.

    I truly look forward to the intricate and exciting ways this proposal attempts to let people move from the bridge deck to an active ground plane under the Bridge (a wonderful weather-protected outdoor space of its own), and vice versa.

    (A little known fact for the history junkies – at 8 lanes the Granville Bridge was the widest bridge in the world when it was opened in 1954. Someone really overestimated the volume of vehicle traffic entering and leaving downtown than ever materialized over the ensuing decades.)

    This project could visually anchor the Granville Street and Bridge approach in both directions the same way that the beautiful and extremely elegant Frank Gehry-designed (rental) residential tower does at the Manhattan end of the Brooklyn Bridge. Far from negatively impacting the bridge-crossing experience, that vista makes one want to stop, linger and experience what great architecture in the right location can do for creating a sense of place.

    Without taking a cheap shop, it makes me wonder – could a similar innovative and dynamic approach work for, say, the viaducts?

  • Creek’er

    Anyone have links to planning documents/proposals for the site?

    Sounds very interesting; thanks FB.

  • Frank Ducote

    Creek’er@5 see:

    http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/planning/rezoning/applications/1412-1460howe/index.htm

  • Brent Toderian

    Great article, Frances – its good to see Ian’s and Bjarke’s design creating such architectural buzz in town – that can only benefit the local dialogue. As I often say, although we are known for our approaches to urban design and urbanism, one of the most common phases I still hear, is “why do all the buildings look the same?” I think that will change over the next few years as new projects we’ve all worked on are completed, with this tower and mid-rise design being a special example. A few special designs in the right strategic locations, can forever change the perception of local architecture.

    I’ve been a fan of BIG since I first visited the V-Building in Copenhagen, and a friend of Bjarke’s since our first breakfast chat in 2008 on expressive architecture combined with great urbanism. I wrote about that, and the power of design competitions, for Planetizen in 2009, linked here for interest:

    http://www.planetizen.com/node/37189

    Playing matchmaker with Ian last year when Bjarke was in town, was a no-brainer – they are both cut from the same cloth, innovators and big thinkers. Ian’s a patron of better architecture. I wish them the best of luck with their exciting design – although its the kind of innovation I had hoped for from this collaboration, as I noted to Frances when she interviewed me for this story, the design process of course isn’t over. Its in good hands with my former architectural colleagues at city hall. I’m confident the enhanced design review process, with its new higher standards for architectural beauty and green energy performance that we put in place, will add value and bring out the best in everyone. I myself think the proportions at the top of the building can still be improved, and the “publicness” of the plaza at-grade can be opened up and made more accessible/inviting, so it can be a real success as a public place. Remember, this isn’t just a tower – its a mixed-use neighbourhood centre for a new and interesting community in the Loops!

    Its also worth noting that this building is possible as a result of the work the Planning Department did over the last few years, to identify 6 new taller towers that would change the skyline, WITHOUT penetrating the protected view corridors. This building, along with the Burrard Toyota proposal, are two of those 6 towers. Special architecture, connected to a broader plan where the city didn’t have to chose between architectural statement in the skyline, and protection of public views. We nick-named it the “have your cake and eat it too” plan, since the previous debate was either special architecture OR protecting views to the mountains.

    Exciting times for Vancouver architecture! Thanks for spreading the word.

    Brent

  • Creek’er

    Grazie!

  • Higgins

    Well, well, well look who’s in here… none but the departed but not forgotten Brent- the civilian #7.
    It is weird to post your comment & advice instead of receiving “unsolicited recommendations” eh? Anyway, welcome to the waiting room, pick up a magazine and take a number…
    What goes around comes around buddy.
    Their time will come, don’t worry, Penny, Gregor & comp. will be history sooner than later.
    🙂

  • Bill Lee

    Longish piece on this architect in Saturday Globe http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/lisa-rochon/is-vancouver-ready-for-danish-architect-bjarke-ingels-heres-hoping/article2364282/singlepage/#articlecontent

  • Ralph Segal

    Bill Lee #10
    Here is a response to I wrote to Globe/Lisa Rochon’s article tagged by Bill Lee (#10).

    Re: Can Vancouver think BIG? Here’s hoping (Globe Arts, March 10, 2012)
    As Vancouver Planning Department’s former Senior Architect & Development Planner, just recently retired, I was pleased to see Lisa Rochon’s Globe Arts article on Vancouver’s latest audacious tower proposal by Danish “starchitect” Bjarke Ingels for developer Ian Gillespie. It will, if ultimately approved by City Council, add a sparkling and welcome highlight to the city skyline and Granville Bridge entry to downtown. Less pleasing were the article’s out-dated references to the City’s alleged “rigid standards” as the cause of Vancouver’s uninspired “sea of green-and blue-glass condos”. As noted by internationally renowned architect Bing Thom, the new direction in Vancouver is that “Everybody wants to loosen up”. What is entirely missed in the article is how the City’s urban design and planning groundwork for this and several other higher building projects-to-come was laid by the Planning Department and its then Director of Planning, Brent Toderian who, not coincidently, invited Ingels to Vancouver and introduced him to developer Gillespie. Rather than “rigid” a more accurate characterization of Vancouver’s policies and guidelines is that they are very demanding, seeking a “significant new benchmark for architectural creativity and excellence” and “advancing the City’s objective for carbon neutrality for new buildings”, this from the new Higher Buildings Policy, just one example of a series of initiatives spearheaded by Mr. Toderian focusing on sustainable growth, high quality urban design and architecture and, notably, the densification that is needed to increase housing supply to help deal with the pressing issue of affordability.
    Mr. Toderian’s insistence on ”density done well”, pushing for innovative and green architectural typologies, as an alternative to the ubiquitous podium and glass tower form first introduced in the early ‘90’s which proved so economically successful in Vancouver’s hyper condo market that it was being proposed even in heritage Gastown and Chinatown, probably upset a number of developers. All of this innovation and demand for excellence apparently proved too much for the powers that be at City Hall as Mr. Toderian was fired “without cause” last month after an all too brief 6 years as Director of Planning. Although his dismissal is troubling for many who worked closely with him, Mr. Toderian will land on his feet in a public sector role in another major city or in the private sector where, in either case, his talent, drive and passion will serve his clients well. Sadly, with his unique skills and the contribution he could have continued to make here now lost to Vancouver, Ms. Rochon’s fears of rigid standards, conformist review panels, capitulation to pat formulas of urbanism, etc. as applied by the to-be-chosen new Director of Planning, may yet come to pass. Here’s hoping not.