New Design for $350-Million Vancouver Art Gallery Revealed
Rendering sourced from Vancouver Art Gallery
The conceptual design for a new Vancouver Art Gallery has been released, and it’s a head-turner.
The 12-storey gallery rises from its new home adjacent the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in a series of boxy tiers – like a jumble of gift boxes waiting to be unwrapped. The whole structure sits on four, stilt-like pillars. Not to mention, it’s covered mostly in wood – a stark contrast from the mirrored glass and steel buildings that dominate Vancouver’s downtown core.
The 310,000-square-foot building is aiming to become the new home of the Vancouver Art Gallery, which has outgrown its long-time home on Hornby and Georgia Streets downtown. Construction is planned to start in 2017, with a 2021 opening date.
Rendering sourced from Vancouver Art Gallery
But first funding must be found to support the $350-million project. Thus far, the gallery has secured $50 million in provincial funds, plus $23 million in donations from its board of trustees – leaving a significant shortfall, according to an article in the Vancouver Sun.
It’s hoped that the unveiling of the new design by Swiss firm Herzog de Meuron will stir public interest and lead to an outpouring of funding from private sources. The cubist-inspired gallery has been designed with a deliberately open and inviting layout. At ground level, there are open-air walkways and a 40,000-square-foot courtyard for public gatherings. Three floors in the middle of the new structure are walled entirely in glass and will be dedicated to a restaurant and 350-seat auditorium.
Rendering sourced from Vancouver Art Gallery
Meanwhile, a total of 86,000 square feet of exhibition space – twice the capacity of the current gallery – is distributed throughout the building. Exhibits will be spread between the lower floors (one below ground and one at ground level) and three upper floors. The extra space means that roughly half of the Vancouver Art Gallery’s 10,000 works can be on permanent display, rather than being locked in storage.
In a nod to Canadian heritage and materials, the structure will also be covered largely in wood. The warm, brown colour is meant to evoke Vancouver’s timber-rich past, while also creating an inviting natural glow, in marked contrast from the drab concrete and steel structures along Georgia Street.
Rendering sourced from Vancouver Art Gallery
The structure and courtyard will be accessible from multiple entry points, contributing to the open, welcoming design. In fact, plans call for the lowering of the adjacent Queen Elizabeth Plaza to street level to encourage more flow through. The plaza would be replaced with a tree-covered green space.
Article source: http://www.insidevancouver.ca/2015/10/02/new-design-for-350-million-vancouver-art-gallery-revealed/
