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
| Feb 7, 2012
Kawneer and Traco combine portfolios
Portfolio includes curtain wall systems, windows, entrances and framing systems.
| Feb 7, 2012
Lubbers promoted to creative director at Wight & Co.
Lubbers has been instrumental in many recent high profile Wight projects, including the College of DuPage Student Resource Center, Seaton Computing Center, The Adler Planetarium Sky Theater transformation and UNO Charter Schools.
| Feb 7, 2012
Shepley Bulfinch opens San Francisco office
This expansion establishes a physical presence that builds on a portfolio of work for institutional clients on the West Coast, dating to the development of the original Stanford University campus in 1891
| Feb 7, 2012
Thornton Tomasetti opens new office in Denver
The firm, which now has 25 offices internationally, opened the new office to better serve current and potential clients in the western Central region and Mountain States.
| Feb 6, 2012
Slight increase in nonres construction spending expected in 2012, growth projected for 2013
Commercial sector expected to lead real estate recovery.
| Feb 6, 2012
FMI releases 2012 Construction Productivity Report
Downsizing has resulted in retaining the most experienced and best-trained personnel who are the most capable of working more efficiently and harder.
| Feb 6, 2012
Kirchhoff-Consigli begins Phase 2 renovations at FDR Presidential Library and Museum
EYP Architecture & Engineering is architect for the $35 million National Archives Administration project.
| Feb 6, 2012
Batson-Cook announces the appointment of Hall as president
Hall will manage and direct all aspects of the firm’s day-to-day operations. He will be based in Batson-Cook’s Atlanta office.
| Feb 6, 2012
Siemens gifts Worcester Polytechnic Institute $100,000 for fire protection lab renovation
Siemens support is earmarked for the school’s Fire Protection Engineering Lab, a facility that has been forwarding engineering and other advanced degrees, graduating fire protection engineers since 1979.
