New Vancouver Art Gallery | 9fl | Proposed

[Vin]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

The problem with yaletown park is that it isn't smooth. And also there's a bunch of trees on huge mounds. Not to mention the complete failure of the treatment along Nelson. This plaza won't have those issues. One thing they could do to help this plaza is have the front doors to the gallery be the main doors.

Agree about what you said about Yaletown Park. However, even though this proposed plaza is flat, it lacks the pull factor, like interesting lighting or fountains, etc. Such a large paved area in a temperate rainforest climate setting makes it easily susceptible to mildew/dirt accumulation, and the result would only be even less welcoming. As far as I know, none of the fully-paved plazas in Vancouver are very popular with people (Library Square facing West Goergia, Queen Elizabeth theatre, Yaletown Park, etc.). The ones that people love to hang out at are those with grass patches, landscaping, steps, fountains, etc. (Emery Barnes, George Wainborn, Harbour Green Park, Sheraton Wall Centre park, etc.) Even the Library Square facing Robson is nicer with the steps, as compared to the northern portion.

I guess this proposed piazza is only useful for rare events like the International Jazz Festival, but then again the setting would look rather sterile.

With that said, I do like the tile design for the paving.

[officedweller]

I think the overriding reason for the large expanse of paving is to provide a venue for protests.

[Jebby]

Originally Posted by officedweller

I think the overriding reason for the large expanse of paving is to provide a venue for protests.

And smoking pot.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Jebby

And smoking pot.

You mean protest AFTER smoking pot?

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by memememe76

I have no need for a water feature. I think a big art display would be fine. I personally like the Digital Orca. I'm thinking something like The Bean would work well here.

Excuse me, but IMO the digital orca WOULD be gimmicky here, in this location. I think the digital orca is nifty, too, but not in front of a neo-classical building.

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

they should do something like this instead of all concrete. it gives the same principles of a flat hard surface but isn't horrible. concrete elements would be used of course but it wouldn't be a total empty concrete square that will be disgusting like Granville street is downtown. they need to power wash that sometime; and get rid of the gum like NYC does with the steam.

a green driveway. a hard honeycomb under-layer that allows grass to grow through while being able to support up to cars, etc.


source + article and more information http://matthewhague.com/2013/08/01/w...orms/#more-797

[whatnext]

A cautionary tale for the VAG, by way of the Art Gallery of Alberta:

...The gallery opened its new $88-million building only five years ago. Since then, operating costs have more than doubled, even as attendance has tapered off.

It was to be expected, according to executive director Catherine Crowston. She describes a different "Guggenheim effect" at play. It goes something like this: build it, and they will come … at first.

"There's huge attendance in your first and second year and then it kind of levels off after that," Crowston said.

...Today, the new space has allowed world-class works to come to Edmonton. But the operating costs proved to be more than the gallery expected.

Crowston said the gallery made educated budget estimates before moving in, but didn't fully realize the extent of the upkeep until moving in.

"We hadn't anticipated, really, that in building such a distinct piece of architecture with all of the glass, that our window cleaning costs would be so high," she said....
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmont...ance-1.3353321

[whatnext]

Gary Mason speculates in yesterday's Globe & Mail that the Liberals may be more receptive to the VAG's pleas for funding that the Conservatives were.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle28662147/

However, I agree with Bob Rennie's take that this is going to be pretty far down Vancouver's priority list. The only way I could see it happening is if the long discussed National Portrait Gallery planned first for Ottawa and then for Calgary was rolled into the VAG expansion.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Gary Mason speculates in yesterday's Globe & Mail that the Liberals may be more receptive to the VAG's pleas for funding that the Conservatives were.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle28662147/

However, I agree with Bob Rennie's take that this is going to be pretty far down Vancouver's priority list. The only way I could see it happening is if the long discussed National Portrait Gallery planned first for Ottawa and then for Calgary was rolled into the VAG expansion.

Answered my own question, the Larwill Park land is worth around $50 million in a 2013 Global article.

[officedweller]

Granville St. twitter suggested the CBC site could be an alternate Art Gallery site if CBC moves (but of course, VAG would have to buy that site).

https://twitter.com/GranvilleStreet/...24477024382976

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Gary Mason speculates in yesterday's Globe & Mail that the Liberals may be more receptive to the VAG's pleas for funding that the Conservatives were.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle28662147/

However, I agree with Bob Rennie's take that this is going to be pretty far down Vancouver's priority list. The only way I could see it happening is if the long discussed National Portrait Gallery planned first for Ottawa and then for Calgary was rolled into the VAG expansion.

Wouldn't it be fabulous, the new VAG housing the National Portrait Gallery? Never happen. Has to be Ottawa. But hey, if Calgary is a candidate, then ..... (erm, uh, yes)

[mezzanine]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Gary Mason speculates in yesterday's Globe & Mail that the Liberals may be more receptive to the VAG's pleas for funding that the Conservatives were.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle28662147/

However, I agree with Bob Rennie's take that this is going to be pretty far down Vancouver's priority list. The only way I could see it happening is if the long discussed National Portrait Gallery planned first for Ottawa and then for Calgary was rolled into the VAG expansion.

I would doubt Bob Rennie's take on the VAG relocation as there is a lot of bad blood between him and Kathleen Bartels, VAG director since 2001.

I wasn't aware of the Gary Mason article. Things seem promising. I doubt if we would need the national portrait gallery for this to be contingent - I suspect that the CoV would actively support this and I also suspect Victoria may be willing to up their funding if any potential federal funding to Vancouver is threatened to be allocated to another province.

[mezzanine]

This seems odd - According to the VAG future gallery page it lists a "2017 groundbreaking event", but no further details.....


https://www.vanartgallery.bc.ca/future.html

[trofirhen]

I know I'm 'supposed' to be enraptured with the new wooden design ... but I'm not.
"OH, but it's West Coast, with the wood, and everything!" ... I'm sorry, so are a lot of buildings here.
"WELL! It represents the Asia-Pacific connections of Vancouver!" Don't many things already do that?
***I'm sorry to go against the grain, but I'll say it: The design, for me, is uninspirational and looks totally out of place. Excuse me, but I've said it.

[Vin]

Just plain ugliness. This will be the worst-looking building in the entire country.

[Vamo]

Originally Posted by Vin

Just plain ugliness. This will be the worst-looking building in the entire country.

This is your opinion! I think it's pretty good.

[Jebby]

Originally Posted by Vin

Just plain ugliness. This will be the worst-looking building in the entire country.

What if it was 50 stories taller and had a mall?

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by Jebby

What if it was 50 stories taller and had a mall?

[Migrant_Coconut]

Still, it is a pretty lame design - it looks like a pagoda mated with an inukshuk, and not in a good way.

[Klazu]

I like the overall idea of using lots of wood and the shape is okay, but there should be more references to the local first nations culture that is really unique to this region. They have traditionally been using wood for everything, so I think many such ideas could be incorporated in the design.

The building should speak "Vancouver" and "PNW" and look like it could be located nowhere else than in here.