Inside Vancouver

Dramatic Redesign Proposed for Vancouver Art Gallery Plaza

by Remy Scalza in Town, Uncategorized on November 24, 2015

An artist’s rendering of the proposal

The plaza in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery has always been a popular gathering place in Vancouver … but never an especially convenient one.

For starters, there’s a big fountain in the middle of it that eats up lots of the available space. Scraggly trees offer some leaf cover but create a claustrophobic feeling. And then there’s all that bark mulch on the ground, which no one has ever liked.

These shortcomings and more are addressed in a new plaza redesign proposal currently being considered by the city. The plan, submitted by Nick Milkovitch Architects, calls for completely opening up the plaza and creating an airy, European-style public setting. It’s minimal, straightforward and quite possibly exactly what the site needs. Continue reading:
Dramatic Redesign Proposed for Vancouver Art Gallery Plaza

Giant Floating Ring (and New Plaza) Coming to Vancouver’s Davie Street

by Remy Scalza in Uncategorized on July 10, 2015

Image sourced from Vancouver.ca

Vancouver’s Davie Village in the West End is about to get a little more vibrant.

A new plaza, complete with patio-style seating and a space-age floating sculpture, is set to grace the neighbourhood, considered the heart of the city’s LGBTQ community.

City planners have released detailed drawings for the new plaza, to be located not far from Davie Street’s distinctive rainbow-coloured crosswalks. Plans call for a one-block section of Bute Street just south of Davie to be closed to traffic and transformed into a pedestrian-friendly plaza.

Meanwhile, a special floating sculpture is to be installed at the intersection of Davie and Bute Streets. After initially considering a giant disco ball, planners ultimately opted to go with a space-age, shimmering metallic ring inscribed with the name Davie Village, which will be suspended by wires above the intersection. Continue reading:
Giant Floating Ring (and New Plaza) Coming to Vancouver’s Davie Street

$3.2-Million Facelift Set for Vancouver Art Gallery Plaza

by Remy Scalza in Uncategorized on October 4, 2013

Image sourced from City of Vancouver

The plaza in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery may soon be getting a new look.

Several redesigns are being considered for the prime spot in the heart of the city, site of concerts, protests and public gatherings throughout the year. Options range from “urban living rooms” to minimalist, space-age public spaces.

One common denominator: All of the proposals involve removing the badly weathered, occasionally functioning fountain in the middle of the plaza. They also suggest doing away with the tons of unsightly bark mulch spread over the site. Continue reading:
$3.2-Million Facelift Set for Vancouver Art Gallery Plaza