From Today's Vancouver Sun - the redesign of 1133 West Georgia Street (same height as before) -
as posted by Queetz and Mezzanine on SSP and scanned pic posted by Dylan:

http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/500/836201016.jpg

Erickson touch on tower
Three-surface building would be Vancouver's second-tallest

Frances Bula
Vancouver Sun

June 7, 2005

VANCOUVER - An Arthur Erickson-designed skyscraper that promises to be Vancouver's most unusual and striking building is on its way to city hall for approval.

The slim, elegant, glass-covered building rises from its triangular base to its summit in a way that gives the 167-metre tower -- which would be the city's second highest after the Shangri-La across the street -- a sense of grace and movement.

The tower will appear to twist 45 degrees from bottom to top. Each floor will be offset 0.75 of a degree from the one below.

"We wanted to do something as simple, as straightforward, and as structurally honest as possible," said Erickson, who was brought in to help with the design after the first plan for the building at 1133 West Georgia was unanimously rejected by the city's urban design panel three months ago.

Now, Erickson, working with the original team at Musson Cattell Mackey, is back with a design that appears to respond to all the criticisms of the first design.

The surfaces on the three faces of the building, which create an optical illusion that the building is actually bending, are what Erickson calls "hyperbolic paraboloids" -- a technique that employs nothing but straight lines, yet the surface is curved.

When the first design of the building came to the urban-design panel in March panel members said it was disappointing and ordinary for what would be a prominent building. Panel members said the building, which consisted of a kind of inverted glass vase shape that flared out at the top, set on a stone base, was too broken up and that it should have simple, straight lines going from top to bottom to emphasize the building's height. It was also criticized for lack of "green" considerations.

Erickson's design emphasizes the vertical lines of the building, replaces the stone base with glass, and incorporates elements like solar tubes on the roof to help cut the building's power demands by up to 30 per cent. It also opens up half the small, mid-block lot to a public plaza in one part, which would be lit at night by fibre-optic lights embedded in the pavement, and an enclosed "palm court" in another part.

Developer Simon Lim, for whom this is the first major project in Vancouver, said he recognizes that he will also have to negotiate with the city about other public amenities that need to be provided.

In the unique universe of Vancouver development, where there appears to be a limitless demand for downtown condos, the city's planning department extracts considerable benefits from developers in exchange for permission to build higher than what normal zoning would allow. Developers of the Shangri-La tower on the other wide of West Georgia ended up giving $12 million in benefits that included everything from an outdoor public art gallery to restoration of the heritage church next door to money for the city's housing fund.

Lim's tower would be almost double the normal density allowed for that site. He is planning to buy 200,000 square feet of heritage density, a mechanism the city uses to allow owners of heritage buildings to sell off imaginary space in order to help pay for the costs of preserving Vancouver's small stock of older buildings. It's widely expected that Lim will buy much or all of the space being generated by the Woodward's project, on which he was an unsuccessful bidder.

************

Compare to the old design in this pic by Phesto (showing the relationship to Shangri-La) and a newspaper scan:

http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/529/4288picture_005.jpg

http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/529/16321133_west_georgia_streetscape.jpg

i love it! though i'm not sure which one I like better. can't wait for graphical renderings.

It looks like Erickson broke into the Shangri-la presentation center, stole the Shangri-La model, twisted it a bit, and wrote his own name over Cheng's. If you rearrange the address you get 1313, which explains the site's curse.

^ Cheng asked for help, he didn't steal Cheng's design.

Its a Turning Torso rip off, and I love it!

The original architects for 1133 wasn't Cheng - it was Musson Cattell Mackey who asked for Erickson's help.

I like the analogy to the Freedom Tower more than Turning Torso - I think Turning Torso turns though a wider sweep of angle. The sweep of this turn is only 45 degrees - not much really.

But - who else thinks it looks very European?

The original architects for 1133 wasn't Cheng - it was Musson Cattell Mackey who asked for Erickson's help.

I like the analogy to the Freedom Tower more than Turning Torso - I think Turning Torso turns though a wider sweep of angle. The sweep of this turn is only 45 degrees - not much really.

But - who else thinks it looks very European?

I think it looks quite European though not as European as Calatrava's Torso.



The proposal will be submitted to the city tomorrow.

Finally, a skyscraper in Vancouver that is unique and stylish. I love it!

next thing we know, it's rejected by the city..............hopefully not.

i think it looks interesting. very different. i think i'm digging it.

WOW! Ill be mad if this gets rejected.

The original architects for 1133 wasn't Cheng - it was Musson Cattell Mackey who asked for Erickson's help.

I like the analogy to the Freedom Tower more than Turning Torso - I think Turning Torso turns though a wider sweep of angle. The sweep of this turn is only 45 degrees - not much really.

But - who else thinks it looks very European?

My mistake, I was thinking Simon Lim, somehow ended up to be Cheng.

Its so nice to see that they're finally doing something with the piece of concrete (on the site of the new tower) on West Georgia. Seems like its been in a bad state since the early 90's.

Looks awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(x10000000)


They will probably have to donate a new city hall if they want it approved though ;)


Edit: Hey, I just realized that the 2 tallest will both be hotel/condos.

hopefully it will get approved because truly, it's not THAT tall, and it fits into vancouver's new wave of high-rises.

I like it too.

if only it was a office/hotel instead of more condos.

if only it was a office/hotel instead of more condos.
A condo/office wouldnt be bad either like the shaw tower.

Posted by Furbe at SSP:

Erickson tower called 'stunning, evocative'

Frances Bula
Vancouver Sun

Thursday, June 09, 2005

VANCOUVER - A unique new "twisted" tower that was called "a revolution not an evolution" got enthusiastic and unanimous approval from Vancouver's urban-design panel Wednesday.

Panel members called the Arthur Erickson-designed tower for West Georgia Street -- a slim, triangular building that rotates 45 degrees between its base and its roof -- stunning, evocative, and a beautiful "feminine" match to the more masculine, slightly taller Shangri-La tower that will be built across the street.

The two structures, both destined for the 1100 block of West Georgia, are currently the city's two tallest planned buildings.

The scene in Vancouver city hall's committee room 1 Wednesday was radically different from what happened three months earlier, when developer Simon Lim, along with architects Mark Whitehead and Mark Thompson, presented their first plan for the 167-metre tower.

Then, it was savaged by a special design panel that included both local and out-of-town members, which left Lim and the architects feeling seriously beaten up by the end.

However, within a few weeks, the city's most powerful realtor and unpaid urban designer, Bob Rennie, wooed Arthur Erickson into joining the team, and he and developer Ian Gillespie, who is building the Shangri-La across the street, encouraged Lim to try again.

This time, the reviews were consistently glowing for the new design and several members commented on how spectacularly the team had responded to criticism, not by trying to patch up an inherently weak design, but by going back to the drawing board and starting over.

"It's not an evolution, it's a revolution," said panel member Shahla Bozorgadeh, a comment that was echoed by chair Alan Endall when he summed up the remarks.

Architect Peter Wreglesworth, among others, commended the team on picking themselves up after a "rough go."

"The solution is bold and decisive and evocative, he said.

Everyone agreed that the tower's design earned the developer the right to the extra density he is seeking on the site.

fbula@png.canwest.com

awesome!

Both designs are great, and I hope the ditched plan gets built somewhere in downtown Vancouver in the future.

Both designs are great, and I hope the ditched plan gets built somewhere in downtown Vancouver in the future.

I agree

The Urban Design Panel's report on 1133 West Georgia:

http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/commsvcs/planning/udp/2005/minutes/jun8.htm


the important points, quoting from furbe, SSP:

The proposed height and scale of the tower were also strongly supported. It is very dramatic and works work well with the adjacent Shangri-la tower. Some Panel members suggested it could be the same height as the Shangri-la and an observation was made that creating a twinning of the towers as a gateway would be a relevant statement for this location.

and...

The Panel unanimously supported the proposed uses. The mix of hotel and residential was considered to be very positive. There was one suggestion for more uses or to provide some flexibility in the uses for the long term as a contribution to sustainability, also noting the continuing erosion of the city’s stock of commercial space in the downtown.

and...

One Panel member suggested increasing the height of the tower in order to put more resources into the skin of the building, noting this building could be a real masterpiece for Vancouver and make a significant contribution to the city as a destination for sustainability tourism.

and finally...

The Panel was unanimous in the opinion that the building achieves, or has the potential to achieve, architectural excellence. A comment was made that the project has an apparent simplicity but with a deceptive complexity which makes it very interesting architecturally. Its conception is quite unique and dynamic in the way it responds to the two city grids. It was stressed, however, that the level of excellence must be carried through in the detailed design.



and from officedweller:

- With respect to the façade, Mr. Erickson noted the glazing will alter slightly on each of the three facades to respond to their orientation conditions. The top of the building will contain a stack of solar condensers which provide approximately thirty percent of the hot water requirements for the building.
- Mr. Thompson said they believe that moving the public amenity to the ground level makes it much more accessible than the previous scheme. It is also much larger and more versatile. i.e. No observation deck.
- One Panel member regretted the loss of public access to the roof, noting there are few opportunities in the downtown for the public to get to the top of buildings to enjoy the views.
- The Panel had a number of concerns about the building skin and questioned whether the transparency presented in the model can be achieved. In the elevational studies that will be necessary in the next stage of the design the applicant was urged to carefully consider such things as staggered columns, spandrel glass, mullions, and vents, all of which will have an impact on the appearance of the building. There was a suggestion to consider a more opaque building with a patterning of transparency where it can be controlled. There was also a suggestion that the choice of glazing is somewhat ordinary and could be improved upon.
- The Panel found the base of the building on West Georgia Street and its relationship to the neighbouring Terasen building to be the weakest part of the project.
- With respect to the proposed solar tubes on the roof, a comment was made that it is unfortunate the public will be unable to see them because they are very interesting and quite beautiful. It was recommended to explore a way for the public to be able to view this contribution to the building’s sustainability.

Always great to hear such positive comments! It's going to be an amazing building.

i really hope they do include an observation deck. it would have amazing views of vancouver. they should add some office space to this building though, theres definatly not enough space downtown and all the remaining space is being turned to condos, it would be good if they had the first 15-20 floors for office space.

sorry to bring a dead thread alive, but what is the status of this building? when will construction start?

sorry to bring a dead thread alive, but what is the status of this building? when will construction start?

The building went through its sixth and final revision recently: a change in window mullions. A 5-star hotel will occupy the first two dozen or so floors, the Ritz Carlton, with 200 rooms. Solar tubes on the roof help cut the building's power demands by up to 30 per cent. The 'palm court' public plaza is lit at night by fibre-optic lights embedded in the pavement.

Construction will start later in the year and end in 2008.

A Development Permit Application has finally been posted on the West Georgia Street site opposite the rising Shangri-La tower at 1128 West Georgia.

The address on the posted application is 1153 West Georgia. The application calls for a 57-storey mixed use building.

According to City of Vancouver information on the Web, the application is now complete and the Development Permit Board is scheduled to consider the application on December 18, 2006.

A Development Permit Application has finally been posted on the West Georgia Street site opposite the rising Shangri-La tower at 1128 West Georgia.

The address on the posted application is 1153 West Georgia. The application calls for a 57-storey mixed use building.

According to City of Vancouver information on the Web, the application is now complete and the Development Permit Board is scheduled to consider the application on December 18, 2006.

nice....and welcome to Skyscrapercity Canada!

Wow, forcing developers to come out with something different; what a concept!
Dangle the carrot of extra money (with additional height) and voila, instant great building! In the past all that was asked was a podium to the structure with a certain amount set aside for social housing. In return the developer got nothing extra. Why would they then ensure they spend more money on intricate designs? Hopefully this will translate to even greater design efforts in the future and usher in a new era for Vancouver architecture!

Wow, forcing developers to come out with something different; what a concept!
Dangle the carrot of extra money (with additional height) and voila, instant great building! In the past all that was asked was a podium to the structure with a certain amount set aside for social housing. In return the developer got nothing extra. Why would they then ensure they spend more money on intricate designs? Hopefully this will translate to even greater design efforts in the future and usher in a new era for Vancouver architecture!

A 60-storey zero-emission and zero-energy condo is in the plans. Rumours are that it'll be powered by wind turbines. The architect has built buildings in NYC, Dubai, London, Singapore, and Shanghai.

Another 60-storey building, but this time it's office, is also rumoured to be the proposal the city has been talking about in the past few months. Details of this project are expected to be unveiled sometime in the next few weeks.

Another 60-storey building, but this time it's office, is also rumoured to be the proposal the city has been talking about in the past few months. Details of this project are expected to be unveiled sometime in the next few weeks.

A 600 ft office tower would only have about 45-48 floors.

A 60-storey zero-emission and zero-energy condo is in the plans. Rumours are that it'll be powered by wind turbines. The architect has built buildings in NYC, Dubai, London, Singapore, and Shanghai.

Another 60-storey building, but this time it's office, is also rumoured to be the proposal the city has been talking about in the past few months. Details of this project are expected to be unveiled sometime in the next few weeks.

OD, I believe X said, 60-storey Office building, 750+ feet at least. ^^

this is great news. Certainly would put Vancouver up a knotch as far as world's great skylines go. We'd finally arrest our "lack of significant height" issue.

OD, I believe X said, 60-storey Office building, 750+ feet at least. ^^

this is great news. Certainly would put Vancouver up a knotch as far as world's great skylines go. We'd finally arrest our "lack of significant height" issue.

no, officedweller is right. i mixed up this project with another project.

X. you did say 60-storey not 600-feet. Even if you were incorrect, I was correct. lol

A 60-storey zero-emission and zero-energy condo is in the plans. Rumours are that it'll be powered by wind turbines. The architect has built buildings in NYC, Dubai, London, Singapore, and Shanghai.

Another 60-storey building, but this time it's office, is also rumoured to be the proposal the city has been talking about in the past few months. Details of this project are expected to be unveiled sometime in the next few weeks.

So there is going to be one condo 60 storeys and another office building that's 600ft as opposed to 60 storeys?

So there is going to be one condo 60 storeys and another office building that's 600ft as opposed to 60 storeys?

that's right.

I only brought up the 600ft figure because that's the "higher buildings policy" limit. A 60 storey (750 ft) can't be built without an overhaul of the zoning system.

anything new happening with this project?

anything new happening with this project?

Demolition on the skeleton started two months ago.

Where could that
Vancouvers Turn site be?

Try:
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=509356