By lifitng the bulk of the building high above ground level, the new Vancouver Art Gallery will double its display space and increase its outdoor area.
This week, the gallery unveiled Herzog & de Meuron’s design for a new museum in downtown Vancouver, reports ArchDaily. The blocky, seven-story wood and concrete structure is wider in the middle and uppermost floors.
The shape will give the gallery 85,000 sf of exhibition space (more than twice its current size), a 350-seat auditorium, and other amenities. An open-air, 40,000-sf courtyard will be at ground level, and it will hold art displays, performances, concerts, film screenings, and collaborative programs.
The 230-foot-tall gallery will also have views of the city and North Shore Mountains.
“The urbanistic concept is based on the contrast between the low-rise framing along the street block and the taller and more sculptural building in the middle of an open and accessible garden and square,” said Jacques Herzog in a press release. “The low-rise wooden building along the street is inspired by how the streets in Vancouver were built in earlier times. The modest, almost domestic scale will enhance the character of openness and visibility for everyone.”
Vancouver Art Gallery chose Herzog & de Meuron as its architect in April 2014. The Swiss architecture firm has designed some notable art venues over the past decade, including San Francisco’s de Young Museum in 2005 and Miami’s Perez Art Museum in 2013.
The gallery will raise $350 million (Canadian) from private and public sources for the new gallery's construction.
Related Stories
Multifamily Housing | Apr 26, 2017
Multifamily amenity trends: The latest in package delivery centers
Package delivery centers provide order and security for the mountains of parcels piling up at apartment and condominium communities.
Multifamily Housing | Apr 26, 2017
Huh? A subway car on the roof?
Chicago’s newest multifamily development features an iconic CTA car on its amenity deck.
High-rise Construction | Apr 26, 2017
Dubai’s newest building is a giant gilded picture frame
Despite currently being under construction, the building is the center of an ongoing lawsuit filed by the architect.
Architects | Apr 25, 2017
Two Mid-Atlantic design firms join forces
Quinn Evans Architects and Cho Benn Holback + Associates have similar portfolios with an emphasis on civic work.
BIM and Information Technology | Apr 24, 2017
Reconciling design energy models with real world results
Clark Nexsen’s Brian Turner explores the benefits and challenges of energy modeling and discusses how design firms can implement standards for the highest possible accuracy.
Higher Education | Apr 24, 2017
Small colleges face challenges — and opportunities
Moody’s Investor Service forecasts that closure rates for small institutions will triple in the coming years, and mergers will double.
Healthcare Facilities | Apr 24, 2017
Treating the whole person: Designing modern mental health facilities
Mental health issues no longer carry the stigma that they once did. Awareness campaigns and new research have helped bring our understanding of the brain—and how to design for its heath—into the 21st century.
Architects | Apr 20, 2017
Design as a business strategy: Tapping data is easier than you think
We have been preaching “good design matters” for a long time, demonstrating the connection between the physical environment and employee satisfaction, individual and team performance, and an evolving organizational culture.
Architects | Apr 20, 2017
‘Gateways to Chinatown’ project seeks the creation of a new neighborhood landmark for NYC’s Chinatown
The winning team will have $900,000 to design and implement their proposal.
Architects | Apr 19, 2017
Tour Zaha Hadid, Frank Gehry architecture with Google Earth
Google Earth’s new ‘Voyager’ feature allows people to take interactive guided tours.
