[Yellow Fever]

Glass-arch complex eyed for Expo 86 grounds

Glass-arch complex eyed for Expo 86 grounds


Architect's rendering shows residential tower with window that frames BC Place

By Tiffany Crawford, Vancouver Sun July 6, 2012


VANCOUVER -- Vancouver city council is looking at a plan for the redevelopment of the old Expo 86 grounds and Plaza of Nations on the False Creek waterfront that includes a massive glass arch structure framing BC Place.

Council had already endorsed development of north False Creek in October and is now considering a rezoning application for 750 Pacific Boulevard from architect James Cheng, which includes artists' renderings of the proposed site. Cheng is well known for designing glass towers in Vancouver, including the 62-storey Shangri-La, the tallest building in the city.

One of the renderings shows a 30-storey square building with up to 2,000 residential units that appears to create a window from BC Place to the waterfront.

The proposal includes 350,000 square feet of commercial, retail and office space, as well as a community centre with a daycare for 69 children, a sports science centre and an ice rink that the Vancouver Canucks would use as a part-time training arena.

According to the application, the development would add 363 metres of seaside walkway on the north side of False Creek with bike paths between Coopers' Park and the foot of Georgia Street.

About 4,500 metres of civic plaza on the waterfront would provide public space for concerts, neighbourhood gatherings and art shows....



Read more: http://www.canada.com/business/comm...t+with+video/6888055/story.html#ixzz1zuJRkXDd

 

[Yellow Fever]

 

[Rhino]

The new Plaza of Nations looks to be a very cool project

 

[Rhino]

 

[Rhino]

 

[Rhino]

 

[Rhino]

 

[Rhino]

Crap, I just posted a replica of your post, a little different though.

 

[Yellow Fever]

Its ok, I just merged them.

 

[Skymaster]

Hopefully that glass doesn't become transparent if you know what I mean...

 

[GrahamH]

I like it.

 

[Yellow Fever]

Hopefully that glass doesn't become transparent if you know what I mean...

I know what you mean but it doesn't look promising from what the rendering has shown. It looks like it will be just another project in downtown with light blue claddings. hno:

 

[Vince]

That iconic arch will have a better visual impact if it were 10 to 20 stories higher, with soft LED lighting framing it. Having the same height as the surrounding buildings is kinda lame, as it would be blocked from view most parts downtown. A mall at the podium or a multi-level retail podium at the base would draw people into the square. Sadly, as in all other downtown developments, developers are too chicken to venture into that field.

There are many developments with mixed use/retail podiums in Asian, European and even Australian cities (Melbourne), but sadly nothing like that in Vancouver. It seems that Vancouver developers are scared off by the failed Tinseltown development from the 90s. Everything in Vancouver is one-storey on-grade retail with condos uptairs: how boring! Here's an example of a beautiful podium found in Victoria, B.C.:

From summer 2010:



Interior of the same building:

Picture by ngawangchodron at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ngawangchodron/5124940761/

Picture courtesy Merrick Architecture Borowski Sakumoto Fligg Ltd., TimesColonist.com
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^^ this is an excellent example of public space for people to gather, especially so in rain-soaked Vancouver. It also provides high-density retailing in a city where retailers are driven out of the market due to expensive rental downtown.

 

[Adam Fitch]

That iconic arch will have a better visual impact if it were 10 to 20 stories higher, with soft LED lighting framing it. Having the same height as the surrounding buildings is kinda lame, as it would be blocked from view most parts downtown. A mall at the podium or a multi-level retail podium at the base would draw people into the square. Sadly, as in all other downtown developments, developers are too chicken to venture into that field.

There are many developments with mixed use/retail podiums in Asian, European and even Australian cities (Melbourne), but sadly nothing like that in Vancouver. It seems that Vancouver developers are scared off by the failed Tinseltown development from the 90s. Everything in Vancouver is one-storey on-grade retail with condos uptairs: how boring! Here's an example of a beautiful podium found in Victoria, B.C.:



^^ this is an excellent example of public space for people to gather, especially so in rain-soaked Vancouver. It also provides high-density retailing in a city where retailers are driven out of the market due to expensive rental downtown.

I agreee that that development in Victoria is well-done. It will take a little while till victorians discover it, and it is the only office development in downtown victoria for quite a few years.

As far as developers being scared off from commercial development by the disaster of tinseltown, that is true. but it has now been 15 or 20 years, so it is well past time to put that in the past, both critics and the development industry.