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Bing Thom brings new life to Washington

October 12th, 2010 · 5 Comments

Architect Bing Thom’s buildings bring poetry to unexpected places all over Vancouver — the Sunset community centre, Surrey Central’s SFU campus and office tower, the Aberdeen Centre mall  and more. But others like his work too.

The New York Times profiled his re-design of a Washington theatre complex this weekend, which he approached in his typical Bing style. Something for us Canadians to check out when we’re there next. (Possibly the March for Sanity Oct. 30? Think about it.)

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  • Tiktaalik

    Wow that looks amazing. Out of all the other works by him listed in the article I think this one is by far the best.

    If the Vancouver Art Gallery, the city and the province ever come to some agreement about a new building they should get Mr. Thom to build it.

  • Roger Kemble

    Well I’ll say this for Zaha Hadid, CBE she sure is having a run for her money: what with her interlocking-slip-sliding section of VCC West.

    Washington’s Fresh Coat of Greasepaint also shows off the wonderful flying soffit reminiscent of her Vitra Fire Station in Weil am Rhein:

    Foggy Bottom never had it so good!

    Oh excuse me I am getting my intellectual metaphors mixed up. The Foggy Bottom thingie was “done” by our one and only Bing Thom.

    I mean FLW’s favourite word autochthonous just doesn’t do it anymore does it?

    Architects’ have a whole grab bag world of shop worn ideas upon which to dance with the stars.

    What would architects do without the glossies?

  • MB

    I think it demonstrates the maturity of design borne by many locally-based architects, a talent pool not used enough here.

    The wonderful flying soffit is anchored by tastefully executed and subtly elegant illumination and concrete work.

    But the true judgement will be by the users.

  • Roger Kemble

    Well MB there is a place for the journeyman unpretentious architect.

    Evidence the numerous banal, gray towers, the oppressive low-slung ceiling of Woodard’s atrium and the lackadaisically sited, ruptured Olympic torch!

    But when it comes to hyperbolic architectural pretensions reaching for The Whole of the Moon,

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pu7AR0-FRro

    Too high, Too far, Too soon,

    requires more than to be damned with faint praise.

    Hadid 10.

    Vancouver 0.

  • Ron

    The flying soffit reminds me of his Aberdeen Centre in Richmond and the concrete drum auditorium reminds me of his Chan Centre at UBC.