Vancouver: The Latest Architecture and News
Campos Leckie Studio: Adapting Materials Across Contexts
In the following interview, presented by ArchDaily Materials and originally published by Sixty7 Architecture Road, Canadian firm Campos Leckie Studio defines their process for designing site-specific, beautiful architecture that speaks for itself. Enjoy the firm's stunning projects and read the full interview after the break.
We asked Michael Leckie, one of the principals of Vancouver-based Campos Leckie Studio, about the importance of discovery in design and the textural differences between projects. Your website states that your firm is committed to a rigorous process of discovery. How do you explain that to clients?
Process is extremely important in our work. When we meet with clients we do not immediately provide napkin sketches or an indication of what form the work will ultimately take on. Rather, we focus on the formulation of the ‘design problem’ and the conditions that establish the basis for exploration and discovery. These contextual starting points include the site, program, materiality, budget, as well as cultural reference points. This is challenging for some clients, as our culture generally conditions people to expect to see the final product before they commit to something.
Happy Cities and Stranger Danger: An Interview with DIALOG's Bruce Haden
In this article, first published by Indochino as “What makes some buildings happy?” architect Bruce Haden, principal at DIALOG in Vancouver, discusses why some places feel good to be in and why some just have that awkward, quiet feeling.
Award-winning architect and urban planner. Dad. Researcher on happy vs. lonely cities. We talked to Bruce Haden about why some places feel good to be in, and some just have that awwwkward, quiet feeling.
Bruce Haden has only been an architect and a bartender. So ask him what he likes about it, and his answer is he doesn’t really know anything else. In high school, he didn’t want to pick between calculus and woodshop, so he ended up in a profession that’s part art, part engineering (and a fair amount of politics). Now, he works on a lot of large, public buildings. But he also spends a lot of time thinking about happy and lonely cities. He talks about how working with a client is like dating, why some buildings are worth being in and others are just empty, and whether adventure or luxury wins.
Esquimalt House / Mcleod Bovell Modern Houses
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Designers: Mcleod Bovell Modern Houses
- Area: 7015 ft²
- Year: 2012
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Manufacturers: Hakatai
Herzog & de Meuron to Design New Vancouver Art Gallery
The Vancouver Art Gallery has unanimously appointed Herzog & de Meuron to design their new, 300,000 square foot gallery in downtown Vancouver.
Selected from a shortlist of five - including Diller Scofidio + Renfro, KPMB Architects, SANAA , and Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects - Herzog & de Meuron was ultimately awarded the commission for their vision of the new Gallery and “proven ability to create innovative museum buildings that place prominence on artists and institutional mission.”
The new museum building, which will be the practice’s first Canadian project, will double the Gallery’s current space and accommodate for their expanding collections, indoor and outdoor exhibition space, and new educational programs. Conceptual designs are expected to be released in early 2015.
Preview the portfolio that landed Herzog & de Meuron the commission, after the break...
Vancouver's Granville Island: Setting the Standard for Urban Design
In the 1970s, the principal designers at DIALOG, Norm Hotson and Joost Bakker, were commissioned by the Canadian government to redevelop Vancouver's Granville Island, a former industrial site, into a people place. The architects envisioned a radically different type of waterfront characterized - not by beaches or parks - but by varied commercial and cultural programs. Today this iconic destination, popular with both citizens and tourists alike, is recognized as a pioneering precedent for urban development across Canada. In the video above, the DIALOG duo chronicles the success of the mixed-use design, touching on how it has influenced the city of Vancouver as well as the firm’s more recent work.
S&S Studio / Scott and Scott Architects
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Architects: Scott and Scott Architects
- Area: 70 m²
- Year: 2014
Janet Echelman's Largest Aerial Sculpture To Premiere in Vancouver
American Artist Janet Echelman is to premiere her latest, and largest, sculpture in Vancouver. Widely known for her artistic ability to reshape urban airspace, Echelman's sophisticated mixture of ancient craft and modern technology has led to collaborations with aeronautical and mechanical engineers, architects, lighting designers, landscape architects, and fabricators to "transform urban environments world wide with her net sculptures." Using a light weight fibre to elevate her monumental "breathing" forms above the streets of urban centres, Echelman's new sculpture will be of a size and scale never before attempted.
Rebirth of The York Theatre / Henriquez Partners Architects
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Architects: Henriquez Partners Architects
- Area: 6171 ft²
- Year: 2012
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Manufacturers: Gala Systems
Mozilla YVR / Hughes Condon Marler Architects
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Architects: HCMA Architecture + Design
- Area: 6250 ft²
- Year: 2012
Harry Gugger Studio's 'The Exchange' to Rise in Vancouver
Construction broke ground last month for ‘The Exchange’ tower in Vancouver, Canada's first LEED Platinum heritage conversion and Harry Gugger Studio’s first North American building. The 31-floor office building resolves the strict urban regulations imposed on high-rise construction downtown and addresses the historical context by preserving and integrating the façade of the city's historic Stock Exchange building.
Woodlands Community Garden Shed / Brendan Callander + Jason Pielak + Stella Cheung-Boyland
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Architects: Brendan Callander, Jason Pielak, Stella Cheung-Boyland
University Boulevard Transit Shelters / PUBLIC Architecture + Communication
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Architects: PUBLIC Architecture + Communication
- Area: 120 m²
- Year: 2013
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Professionals: Fast + Epp, Core Group Consultants, PFS Studio
BIG’s Beach + Howe Tower Wins Approval in Vancouver
Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)’s 700,000 square foot Beach + Howe development has been approved by the Vancouver City Council. Though concerns still remain regarding the height of the 52-story tower - which is intended to become the city’s fourth tallest building - an overwhelming majority of the council and public seems to be enthusiastic about the project.
“It meets the test at every respect — gorgeous architecture, turning a dead space into a vibrant public space with animation and job space. The housing is diverse and much needed... People have used the word iconic - I think it’s remarkable design to combine so many elements on a tough site,” stated Mayor Gregor Robertson before the vote. “It’s an extraordinary project that deserves strong council support.”
Children’s Playhouse ‘Sam + Pam’ / Office Of Mcfarlane Biggar Architects + Designers Inc.
- Year: 2013
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Manufacturers: Vectorworks
BESTIE / Scott and Scott Architects
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Architects: Scott and Scott Architects
- Area: 70 m²
- Year: 2013
Southlands Residence / DIALOG
Earth Sciences Building / Perkins&Will
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Architects: Perkins&Will
- Area: 15794 m²
- Year: 2012
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Professionals: Stantec Consulting, Bird Construction, Equilibrium Consulting, Core Group Consultants