Vancouver: An Urban Precedent Arch 483|Spring 2014|Brandon B Sweeney
Contents: Introduction Part 1: Current State -Affordability -Typologies -Density -Policies Part 2: Urban Form and Imageability - Morphology - Paths - Districts - Edges - Landmark and Nodes Part 3: Urbanization Process - Historical Influence Part 4: Urban Issues and Future Development - Contemporary Issues and Conclusion Works Cited
V
Vancouver British Columbia has emerged within the last forty years to become one of the most prominent examples of urbanity in North America. Not only does it shine as an urban condition but also in handling the dichotomy of the built environment and the natural world. This in“a prime example vestigation will look into for cities to strive towards� what factors, policies, and public engagement has led Vancouver to become a prime example for cities to strive towards. It will attempt to reconcile some of these curious contributors into an explanation as to how this city grew to push the boundaries of urban living.
Part 1: Current State Urbanity is intrinsically tied to density, with this in mind, an acceptable judge of density is given by city planner Kevin Lynch. Lynch’s scale describes rural areas as roughly 1000 people per sq mile (psm). Whereas the majority of newer suburban areas is around 3500 psm. The larger American city like Boston, San Francisco, and Chicago fall around 10,000 or more. Comparing the density of the city to other cities we can see the comparison between density and population.
Affordability
General findings show that offer the last 10 years the average rents have increased greater than the average wage, which is not uncommon and accounts for inflation. These statistics can be compared to a geographically similar city to the south. In a 2012 report by the Seattle Times, local rental prices rose 5.7% from the previous 12 months (DeSilver). Vancouver Metro, West End, and Downtown areas however reported a 3% increase in rental prices. This moderately low increase is partly due to Vancouver’s allowable rate of 4.3%. Also meaning that although the cap was much higher than the 3% recorded increase, there was a conscious effort by private owners to keep increases moderate. More recently the B.C. Residential Tenancy Branch has set the maximum allowable rental increase for 2014 at 2.2% (Lee)
Housing Typologies The 2011 Canadian Census of the Vancouver metro area helps to give insight on how the city grew so dense so quickly. The study compares the rate of change between living typologies from 20062011. Row housing dwelling grew by 20%, whereas single detached houses, that is, typical suburban dwellings grew by only 4% . Additionally, apartments of five of more stories grew by a staggering 24% (Census). Up until 2012, Typical Row Housing units were not allowed (CMHC). However, since 2012 there has seen a rise in building rates around the metropolitan area.
In 2011 the building council put into effect policies that require all new buildings on rezoned cites be LEED Gold. This policy change has fundamentally changed the way Vancouver is developing by increasing awareness of green development, challenging developers to adhere to re-zoning standards, and increase the number of third-party certified green buildings in the city. This comprehensive rezoning plan requires involvement in sustainable site design, green mobility, rainwater management, solid waste management, and mixed typologies. (Sustainable Zoning). In order to see how innovative zoning codes produced an iconic downtown and business district we will focus on the main zoning types of the downtown area.
Commercial Districts These districts are specifically designed to provide a wide range of commercial needs. This ranges from local business’, to city wide services. Encouragement and emphasis goes to shopping, street oriented activities and downplays office use. This directly contributes to street occupation and related theories proposed historically by Jane Jacobs. (Sustainable Zoning, Jacobs)
Historical Districts Zoning codes implemented to preserve and rehabilitate the Chinatown, Gastown, and Yaletown historical areas. Chinatown zoning recognizes historical importance, and contextual aesthetics and development control. Gastown is the remnant of Granville Townsite, and preserves the turn of the century character. Yaletown zoning follows 1900 architectural typologies. (Sustainable Zoning).
Multiple Dwelling Zoning The intent of this zoning typology is to permit a variety of residential developments integrated with retail, office, and institutional uses. Compatibility with neighboring developments is integral. Development of streetscape, open spaces, view retention, sunlight, and privacy are heavily enforced. (Sustainable Zoning) High-density residential towers and mixed use.
Comprehensive Zoning (Downtown) Zoning codes for the downtown area are to “meet the highest standards of design and amenity for the benefit of all users who live, work, shop, or visit�. Zoning this area accounts for individual cases and becomes very specific. (Sustainable Zoning.
Comprehensive Zoning (Waterfront) Encompassing the Central Waterfront and Coal Harbor, zoning encourages commercial, recreational, cultural, and public uses. Residential zoning is included west of Burrard Street.
Commerical Historical
Downtown
Multiple Dwelling
Waterfront
Part 2: Urban Form and Imageability
Paths
This portion of the study will judge the successfulness of Vancouver based on the various assessments put forth by Kevin Lynch in The Image of the City. The set of criteria put forth will be supplemented by personal interpretation and investigation. Lynch based a cities success on a set of five elements.
Edges
Nodes
Districts
Landmarks
Paths Vancouver is a city that prides itself in accessibility. However does it successfully adhere to the qualifications of Kevin Lynch? According to Lynch, pathways are “channels along which the observer can move... streets, walkways, transit lines, canals, and railroads� (Lynch). The integration, organization and implementation of pathways are integral to the life of the city (Lynch, Jacobs). Without the obvious inability of movement throughout the city, the urban condition would lack the vitality of street front lifestyles (Jacobs). Vancouver has achieved this condition through historical development and foresight, zoning initiatives as well as public involvement.
Granville Street is one of many bridges that connects the Downtown area to the surrounding districts. The original bridge was a byproduct of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1889. It is now used as a main thouroughway between South Vancouver, Granville Island, and the West End. It is also a main contributor to the Image of the City, which is intrinsically tied with its bridges. (Dream City, Vancouver’ Important Bridges.)This is also the main connection to the Granville Island Market, which much like Pike Place in Seattle is a year round market and tourist attraction(Granville Island Public Market). Georgia Street is a vital east-west access way through the city. Beginning in North Vancouver and crossing the Lions Gate Bridge, Georgia Street can take a patron through Stanley Park, through China Town and the Train Station. This street also has a close connection to Hastings Street, and the two play off each other creating a dynamic streetscape set of pathways. (Vancouver’s Important Bridges). The Transporation 2040 has other plans for the Lionsgate Bridge, proposing that it be closed to vehicles by 2030 (Canada).
Hastings Street was one of the original E-W corridors in Vancouver, and now is home to the famous Harbor Center, Sinclair Center, and drives right through the heart of the Historic District. (W. Hastings Street). The street is highly divided between its west end business and entertainment area, and notorious east side. (Dream City).
Burrard Street beings in southern Vancouver and passes over false creek continuing into the hearth of the Business Districts where it meets Georgia and Hastings street. The street also served as the boundary line for east and west parcels when the Canadian Pacific Railway divided the land in the 1880s. (Dream City, Vancouver’s Important Bridges).
Skytrain
The Vancouver SkyTrain is a light rail system the serves the Downtown area and Greater Vancouver. In total the system as 47 stations and three distinct lines. Planning for the Skytrain began in the early 1960s because of growing traffic problems. Originally started in 1986, this federally funded project now includes the Expo, Millennium, Canada, and soon to be Evergreen Lines of transportation. The Skytrain has shaped the urban density of the downtown and Greater Vancouver area by minimizing use of car transportation (Translink). Perhaps more convincing is the correlation between transit lines and urban density.
Fare Zone Boundaries Burrard
Waterfront
Granville
Vancouver City Centre
Stadium–Chinatown
Yaletown–Roundhouse Rupert Gilmore Main Street– Science World
Oakridge–41st Avenue
V a nc ouver Canada Line
King Edward
Production Way– Sperling– University Burnaby Lake
Holdom
Commercial– Broadway
C o q u it lam
Lake City Way
Nanaimo
Lougheed Town Centre
B u r nab y
29th Avenue
Braid
N ew W es t m in s t er
Joyce–Collingwood Patterson
Langara–49th Avenue
Columbia New Westminster
Metrotown
Marine Drive
YVR Airport
Millennium Line
Renfrew VCC–Clark
Olympic Village
Broadway–City Hall
Brentwood Town Centre
Royal Oak
22nd Edmonds Street
Sapperton
S u r re y Scott Road Gateway Surrey Central
Expo Line
Templeton Sea Island Centre
Bridgeport Aberdeen
Lansdowne
Ric hmond
Richmond–Brighouse
Seabus
The Vancouver Seabus is a Ferry service that connects the Downtown with the North Shore. Each ferry shuttles up to 400 people and makes trips every 15 minutes during the day. (Translink). The waterfront station is located next to the Skytrain light rail station in downtown making it extremely easy to move into, and through the city and surrounding areas.
King George
Reliability and working hours allow for consistent, almost 24 hour use. This allows user to occupy various parts of the city at any given time. Relating back to Jane Jacobs theory of occupation and use, this helps Vancouver remain a safe, diverse, area at all hours. (Translink, Jacobs)
Greenways and Pedestrian Accessways Vancouver is famous for its park systems and pedestrian accessways, but what makes the spaces so integral to the urban form is the cities efforts to connect each of these individual parks. The Seaside Greenway system fully surrounds the downtown area, allowing a break and buffer zone between English Bay, False Creek, and Burrard Inlet, and the city itself. Planned extensions will connect the Seaside pathway to the University of British Columbia Campus. The Transportation 2040 Plan for Vancouver sets a lofty goal of reaching two-thirds of all transportation trips being made by walking, biking, or transit. This will include an extension of the Granville Greenway that will bridge False Creek and connect the greater metro area to biking and easier pedestrian access to the Downtown (Hansen, Legend Translink, Transportation City Greenways Plan This plan illustrates the routes of the proposed 2040). City Greenways Network. Lions Gate Bridge
N O RT H
1
Seaside
2
Lagoon
3
Central Valley
1
Stanley Park
us
Ironworkers Memorial Bridge
Se
aB
Burrard Inlet
Coal Harbour
2
McGill St.
17 3
Hastings St.
6
Cambie Bridge
False Creek
8
12th Ave.
King Edward Ave.
Kin
6
Carrall
7
Portside
8
Midtown Way
9
Parkway
10
Spirit Trail
11
Ridgeway
12
Arbutus
13
Ontario
14
Eastside Crosscut
33rd Ave.
11
West Boulevard rin
Point Grey Golf & Country Club
1km
2km 15 min.
3km
Victoria Dr.
Knight St.
Fraser St.
Main St.
Cambie St.
Constructed or in progress
Trans Canada Trail Central Park
Langara Golf Course
57th Ave.
Marine Drive Golf Course
59th Ave.
SE Marine Drive 70th Ave.
ver
14
Fraserview Golf Course
Everett Crowley Park
16
45 min.
Canada Line Bridge
Arthur Laing Bridge
Oak Street Bridge
Potential connections Parks and open spaces
54th Ave.
15
Ri
City Centre
Bikeway
r.
Fra se r
17
Proposed Greenway
45th Ave.
11
12
16
Fraser River Trail
Exact route to be determined through public consultation and detailed study
37th Ave.
eD
McCleery Golf Course
North Arm Trail
16
Constructed or in progress 29th Ave.
Queen Elizabeth Park
41st Ave.
Oak St.
Ma
Granville St.
SW
Van Dusen Gardens
15
Greenway
9
13
Balaclava St.
10
Dunbar St.
gsw ay
Boundary Rd.
John Hendry Park
12
King Edward Ave.
April 2011
Downtown Historic Trail
3
16th Ave.
Rupert St.
Arbutus St.
Burrard St.
Broadway
MacDonald St.
Camosun St.
10th Ave.
11
3km =
Rupert Park
Granville
5
3
Pacific Spirit Park
0km
Renfrew St.
Granville le e Bridge e
4th Ave.
Nanaimo St.
Burrard Bridge
1
14
Union St.
Commercial Dr.
Jericho Beach Park
University of British Columbia
5
Clark Dr.
Vanier Park
Hastings Park
7
4
17
Victoria Dr.
English Bay
4
Knight Street Bridge
Y:\GREENWAY\Greenways Branch\Branch Promotion\Greenways Maps\2011 Greenways Plan Update
One of the fundamental redesigns important to the Transportation 2040 Plan is the gradual exclusion of the car, a theory regularly visited in Jeff Speck’s Walkable City. In a direction relationship to Speck’s section on Protecting the Pedestrian, the 2040 plan correlates a drop in of collisions and fatalities directly to the gradual exclusion of the automobile within the city itself (Speck 164, Transportation 2040). Vancouver has implemented various methods to allow patrons to fully utilize alternative transportation. Mass Transit, Seabus, walking, and biking have played a role in the urban form and over all quality of life experienced. The Transportation 2040 plan shows no signs of weakening efforts towards alternative transportation. The Plan takes theories expressed by Jane Jacobs and Jeff Speck, and quantifies them to fit an ideology that is ingrained in the community.
Districts Districts are medium to large sections of a city, that are considered to have urban properties that allow patrons to enter and exit (Lynch). Vancouver has many lively districts particularly in the Downtown area. For the greater metro area there is, Kitslano and Granville, University of British Columbia, North and South Vancouver, Hastings, and Burnaby. Within the downtown area there is the West End, Chinatown and Gastown, Yaletown and False Creek, and City Center. In Jacobs portion regarding diversity states that districts within a city should serve multiple purposes, creating a dynamic between patrons. Similarly, “The District must mingle buildings that vary age”. This allows for low rent seeking business or city-goers an opportunity along side higher income business’ or patrons (Jacobs, 150). Jacobs frames this idea with the term “business incubators”. Vancouver’s movement towards higher density has produced a challenge in keeping a range of income earners within the city, particularly within the downtown core (City of Vancouver).
Mapping the greater Vancouver area we can see the individual districts as well as main lines of transportation. In this section we will look closer into the characteristics of the downtown area that makes the city so iconic.
Yaletown Formerly a heavy industrial area Yaletown is now home to high rise apartment blocks, parks, marinas, and upscale warehouse lofts. Historically, The Canadian Pacific Railway influenced the planning and shaping of the area. (Dream City, Vancouver.ca) Remnants of this era can be seen in the Roundhouse Community Centre. The historical significance and zoning exceptions prevents visual monotony that can become overwhelming with the high density towers. This observation is drawn directly from Jane Jacobs theory on diversity in building typologies. The area is also home to a lively nightlife scene, adding to consistent street occupation.
Gastown Gastown was the original downtown core of Vancouver. Named After Jack “Gassy� Deighton, a sea-weathered saloon owner the area was, like most of the downtown core shaped by the Canadian Pacific Railway company (Dream City, Vancouver.ca) The Historical core sports a statue of Gassy Jack, as well as Steam Clock. More recently the area sports a thriving nightlife, mixed low and high income housing, art galleries, music, film, and professional offices.
Chinatown Chinatown is nestled between Gastown and the Business Districts on the east end of Downtown. The area was originally occupied in the late 1890’s following job creation in fishing and the railroad. A blossoming economic and cultural hub soon established itself. Architectural typologies were established with buildings like the Chinese Methodist Church, and the Chinese Hospital. By the 1911 census, a reported and Asian population of 3,600 out of roughly 100,000. (Chinatown). It is now a community of business owners and provides a massive tourist attraction (Chinatown).
City Center The City Center area of Downtown Vancouver is the nexus between entertainment and business. The southern end is defined by the West End district. This area provides the context for high end shopping, the arts, business, financial transaction, and governmental happenings. There is a clear typological difference in architectural styles, partially hidden from the south by high end apartments in the West End district. This area holds the Pacific Center Mall, Christ Church Cathedral, Vancouver Art Gallery, and Granville Station.
West End & Davie Village The West End occupies the area between the Central Business District, Coal Harbor, and Stanley Park. The southern coastal region is occupied by high rise residential towers, with a lower height limits towards the inner part of the district. The West End also incorporates Davie Village, Vancouver’s LGBT neighborhood. Davie Village is central in community involvement, parades, and social issues. The extent of the West End district can be compared to the Multiple Dwelling Zoning codes investigated earlier, which adds to the distinction between the Downtown and West End areas of the city. (Dream City, Vancoure.ca)
Edges
Edges are “linear elements not used or considered paths by the observer”. In essence even though edges may be, inherently places of movement, they are not necessarily defined by such movement. As we have just seen in the example of the West End, the district and its zoning codes create an urban edge environment more subtle than Lynch’s examples of railways, or waterways. Vancouver, like the example of Boston used in The Image of the City is a peninsula city, surrounded by natural, constraining elements.
Water Edges
The most defining edge of the city is its geographic location. In the image to the right we can clearly see the defining characteristics that the harbor plays in creating a distinct urban condition. This can be compared to other famous geographically constrained cities like Manhattan, San Francisco, Montreal, and Copenhagen.
Water is by far the largest contributing factor of edge development for the city, however, other human implementation has also shaped the edge character of Vancouver.
District and Zoning Edges For this portion, a return to zoning codes and districts is necessary to understanding spacial edges within the city. The distinction between the West and City Central and comparisons between the newest versions of Vancouver Zoning (Lynch, Sustainable Zoning).
Edges: Sunset Beach Park & Stanley Park
Stanley Park was the first park in Vancouver, designated in 1888 its unique, natural growth process creates a striking boundary line between the West End, and what is virtually undesigned growth. (Vancouver.ca) Sunset Beach creates the southwestern edge of the city, and is reserved for public access. This creates a public access way from the Burrard Street bridge, via Seawall to the edge of Stanley Park. What is usually referred to as the general park area is divided into three spits of land extending roughly 300 feet into the bay, adjacent from the city archives building across the narrows. In a way this visually connection between sunset park and the archives creates an edge condition marking the end of False Creek as it enters the bay area. A reason why these are successful areas of the city is because they occupy a condition that was already geographically determinant. As Jacob’s comments on the point of border vacuums the issue is to “keep the city a city, and the park as a park.” (Jacobs 267). Similarly Lynch’s point of visual connectivity plays a large role in occupation of breaks the metal barrier, and becomes a seam in the urban fabric, tying two places together, (Jacobs
Nodes|Landmarks In creating a more cohesive urban relationship this section will discuss nodes and landmarks simultaneously. Lynch’s definition sees nodes as “points, strategic spots in a city that an observer can enter.” By this we can relate all buildings, districts, and parks as nodes. However he later goes on to describe them as places that also have the possibility of harboring intense interaction, or places of retreat. It is this second point that will give us the ability to introduce landmarks. Many of Vancouver’s landmarks are also places of intense concentration, or places of refuge. (Lynch 45, Vancouver.ca). This will take into account certain buildings like Canada Place, Vancouver Lookout, Stadium, and Science Building.
Canada Place and Convention Center: Canada place is the complex situated on the north side waterfront. It serves as a main cruise ship terminal and is directly accessible to the Skytrain and Railroad terminal. Its iconic white tensile structure is reminiscent of Denver International Airport. The newest addition to the waterfront is the West Building of the convention center. Sporting an extensive green roof, it is a reminder of the cities commitment to sustainability and received LEED Platinum (Vancouver.ca)
BC Place is the home of the Canadian Football League, Vancouver Whitecaps MLS Club, and hosted the 2010 Olympics. The crown shape came about as an 2011 reconstruction and presents itself at the end of False Creek. Directly across the creek is the Science World complex. The geodesic dome calls upon the work of Buckminster Fuller, and was completed by 1985. It underwent a face lift before the 2010 Olympics and compliments BC Place (Vancouver.ca)
Pacific Rail Station solidifies the transportation hub of the downtown area. Built in 1919 by the Canadian Pacific Railway, the station is now connected directly to the Skytrain Light Rail system with a station across the street. Directly west of the station is the Science World building, with only a two short blocks standing between them. The buildings along with the Hotel Vancouver serve as historic reminders of Vancouver’s earlier days. The Hotel Vancouver was built in 1939, and at only 17 stories high it still remains a powerful building amongst the steel and glass skyscrapers. The Rooftop restaurant and bar is a highlight of the downtown area and sits on the edge of the West End and Downtown districts. (Vancouver. ca, Fairmont).
More recently the city has begun converting individual, or multiple downtown street side parking spots into mini parks. This completely surpasses Jeff Specks suggestion of raising parking fees to discourage car travel, and eliminates the opportunity for parking all together. (Speck, 129). This overlapping path/node is a new and innovative way of looking a space re-purposing. It is a refreshing break from tradition landmarks and nodes as Lynch observes them. Next to these modern adaptations we can see some of famous landmarks and nodes like Gassy Jack, and Victory Square. As we have seen by the standards set by Kevin Lynch, Vancouver’s creation has caused the an iconic, recognizable distinction between the city center, its districts, and the greater metropolitan area. Continuing on, we will proceed to look more in depth at the city’s upbringing.
Left: Pocket Garden Left Bottom: Gastown Mid Bottom: Gassy Jack Right Bottom: Victory Park Right: Re-purposed parking.
Part 3: Urbanization Environmental Factors
After the glacial recession of the last great Ice Age around fifteen thousand years ago, the Fraser River Delta was formed. This carved out the relatively low sloping piece of land now known as the Burrard Peninsula. The Fraser River forms a southern boundary to the peninsula and the coastal mountains to the north quickly rise to over three thousand feet. This left a very narrow amount of habitable land between the dramatic topography and the rivers that naturall act as boundaries (Dream City, GAC)
Development
Historical Influence
In 1792, captain George Vancouver first encountered the Burrard Peninsula, which was initially inhabited by the native population. This group of indigenous people sustained a population of roughly three to five thousand people. Less than 100 years later in 1858, the British Royal Engineers began to partition the peninsula into a gridded system. This partitioning created three unique grid types that fundementally influenced the city as it is today. The Downtown peninsula grid, Gastown grid, and Hastings grid. Within each of these grids were subdivided segmented blocks. Each block was based off a unit of measurement called a “chain”. Each chain was 20 meters long, and each block was then four chains, by six chains long with a interior dividing lane. Of these blocks, there were three various lot sizes, which encouraged diversity of tenants. These lots were 33’x122’, 50’x122’, and 66’x122’. (Berelowitz)
Soon after the original Gastown grid was created in the crook of the peninsula, Stanley Park was reserved from development in 1888. This took a little over a square mile off of prime development real estate. This seemed a proper place for a park because of its swampy nature, and due to there was no ground transportation to northern Vancouver. All transportation coming into the town was from the south or east. In a comparison between an 1887 map of the city and a recent image it is noticeable how much infill has occurred in the past 125 years. Using a square mile as reference, block sizes are also comparable. The layout of the city is reminiscent of the Hippodamian grid, so much so that the current day city center is closely oriented towards the convergence of original roads (McClure, Dream City, Vancouver.ca). A comparison can be drawn between Vancouver and Piraeus in terms of size and street layout.
The City Beautiful movement: Following the 1892 Chicago World’s Fair the local City Beautiful Association began a plan for Vancouver in 1912. The winning submission proposed an extensive civic center encompassing Hastings, Georgia, Hamilton, and Beatty Streets. This bounding box of streets set the stage for a new city hall, public library, museum, and art gallery (Dream City) However the plan never broke ground becuse of exclusion and interuption of important transportaion routes. This rejection of a formalized ceremonial core allowed for a slower, more natrual growth of the city. There are no prosession ways or malls lined with government buildings like can be seen in Washington D.C., but rather a furthering exploration of individual district development. (McClure Lecture, Dream City).
Shortly after the failed attempt with the City Beautiful Movement, a cohesive city plan was drawn up by Harland Batholomew in 1928. After much deliberation and modification by the City Council, the plan was approved, giving recognizable form to modern Vancouver. Before the Bartholomew Plan was mocked up, a document was presented to the city in the early 1910’s that projected increased urban density within the city and metropolitan areas. It could be speculated that information of document was used in the Bartholomew plan. (Harland)
The proposal above states that by 1950 the downtown area will have reached a density of 100 people per acre. In the downtown core that equivalent is 64,000 per square mile. Thankfully this was not the realized case. What should be taken from this is the overall trend of population growth that was speculated over 100 years ago. Compared to the most recent density calculations by districts seen to the right.
With the stage set by the Harland Plan, all the city needed was a determined group of people and a small bit of luck. Three pivotal players were Mike Harcourt, Gordon Campbell, and Linda Crompton. The bit of luck was the 1986 World Exposition on Transportation and Communication. Mike Harcourt, elected mayor prior to the ‘86 expo oversaw the development of the Skytrain, Canada Pavilion, BC Place Stadium, and Science World. Developments were originally budget for roughly 80 million Canadian Dollars, but reached 800 million by the end of construction. The overspending was not fully compensated for by revenue from the expo, but the 22 million attendee’s over six months was considered a triumph for the city. In 1984 Gordon Campbell, before his election to mayor in 2001, helped to spearhead the development of Yaletown, Coal Harbor residential area, and the Vancouver Public Library. Aided by banker Linda Crompton the city saw the establishment of th Ethical Growth Fund which emphasizes urban growth and investment ins a democratic, environmentally, and socially responsible manner. (Dream City, ExpoMuseum, Economy, BoardSource, Trasnlink.ca, Vancouver.ca, Mike, Gordon.)
The drastic changes to the form of False Creek were only temporary for the expo and the property was later bought by Concord Pacific Developments that turned the area into a community of 15,000 homes. These are the towers that now line False Creek. Since the lands purchase in 1988, Chinese billionaire Li-Ka-shing and Concord Pacific Developments have almost singlehandedly changed the skyline of the city, with proposals for new projects continuing. (ExpoMuseum, Concord Pacific)
Part 4: Issues and Future
Dowtown
Broadmoor
Much of the discussion has been focused around Vancouver’s Downtown area, and rightly so with initiatives like Transportation 2040 and Greenest City 2020. The key issues in the urban condition is not necessarily focusing solely on the City itself, but trying to mitigate the sprawl that has arisen beyond them. The surrounding area of Fraser Valley, North Vancouver, Burnaby, and Surrey have not had the luxuries and fortune to develop as the Downtown Core has. The larger Vancouver area now extends almost 20 continuously to the East, and 8 miles south of the Core. The photo’s to the left are the same amount of land, the bottom can be directly related to Jeff Speck’s architectural typology that has been built off the car. The top photo is a complex network of interconnectivity, substantiating Jane Jacobs theory on small block sizes as generators for diversity. The homogeneity seen on bottom can be pegged as suburbs, whereas top is unknowable and asks to be investigated. If Kevin Lynch were placed in the middle of Broadmoor, he could easily establish pathways, and nodes. To say an area of this fulfills qualities of imagiability, or has any distinguishing architectural character, creating districts or landmarks would be taxing.
Future developments for the Downtown area look promising with continuing investment by Concord Pacific but will it be affordable? A recently released survey conducted by urbanist Alain Bertaud concluded that the Vancouver Housing market is the second least affordable market next to Hong Kong. Bertaud goes on to warn West Coast cities like Seattle, Vancouver, and San Francisco of foreign investors funding large scale projects in city centers, driving out affordable living to the fringe area, and thus, further sprawl (Bertaud). Vancouver has begun to solidify itself as a world leader in changing and innovating the urban condition, but it must be fundamentally aware of political context. Policies and jurisdictions of one area often do not transfer into other municipalities making it harder to contain negative urban ripple effects. Inversely, reports like those discussed earlier showing decreased pedestrian fatalities with simultaneous increasing use in public transportation may be hinting at a far more important concept than affordability. While attempting to remediate environmental damage and change the urban condition, we may actually be saving our own lives.
Images in order of Appearence: Current State Highrise: Photo by Joseph Mabel: 2010. Districts: CMHC website. Row Houses: Russell Docksteader. 2013 Single family Housing: Paul Toffoli, 2014 Density map: http://voony.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/metro_population_density.jpg 1952: VPL Number 81816 (http://www3.vpl.ca/spePhotos/LeonardFrankCollection/02DisplayJPGs/536/81816.jpg) Graphs and Charts- “Census Demographic Bulletins and Maps.” Census Demographic Bulletins and Maps. N.p., n.d. Web. 23. Feb. 2014 Initial Zoning Map- http://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/sustainable-zoning-landing.aspx Urban Form Path: Biking lane- http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2013/06/new-bike-lanes-coming-to-vancouver-in-2013/ All Transit Route Images-http://www.translink.ca/en/Schedules-and-Maps.aspx Dunsmuir Path- http://www.straight.com/files/styles/popup/public/files/images/wide/WEB_DunsmuirBikeLanecross-section_2010.jpg Districs Yaletown: Roundhouse- http://pricetags.wordpress.com/2011/01/10/vitalizing-the-roundhouse-plaza/ Street- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Yaletown-pacificblvd.jpg Club- http://assets.vancitybuzz.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/illuminate-yaletown.jpg Gastown: Jack- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vancouver_Gastown_Gassy_Jack.jpg Clock- http://shinenightclub.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2013/04/club-galleries/around-gastown/ gas-town-at-night_sg4.jpg Old- http://www.informinteriors.com/blog/2011/inform-news/copper-crown/ Chinatown: Old- http://vancouverisawesome.com/2012/12/21/vancouver-heritage-foundation-weekly-chinatown-as-a-national-historic-site/ Street- http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vancouver_Chinatown_16.JPG Gateway- http://www.seechinatown.com/ Downtown: Night Skyline-http://www.waterproofstudios.com/contact.html Church- http://www.cathedral.vancouver.bc.ca/booking-events/ West End: Skyline- title photo Davie village- http://thethunderbird.ca/2013/10/21/davie-village-aims-to-grow-from-gay-roots/ Edges: Overhead- http://news.buzzbuzzhome.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Vancouver-aerial-present-2.jpg Sunset- http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/28/travel/fall-foliage-travel-snapshots/
Landmarks and Nodes: Convention Center- http://lmnarchitects.com/assets/exploration/whatmakesitgreen-vccw/images/1hi. jpg?1276214331 Canada Place: http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/canada-place-vancouver-city-pierre-leclerc.jpg Skyline North- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vancouverskyline.jpg Science Center- http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/telus-science-center-vancouver-bc-lawrence-christopher.jpg BC Stadium- http://scoreinc.ca/category/bc-place/ Station- http://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/uploads/r/null/8/9/896380/e9496f88-5375-4f6f-b1882dc5e369b966-A09103_141.jpg Station new- http://yourvancouverrealestate.ca/images/2013/03/Pacific-Central-Station-at-night.jpg Hotel old- http://news.buzzbuzzhome.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Hotel-Vancouver-construction. jpg Hotel new- http://www.alaskacruiseexperts.com/alaskan-cruises-blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Hotel-Vancouver-ext-e1302111439782.jpg Mini Plaza- http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2012/07/parklet-robson-street-urban-pasture-across-cafe-crepe/ Mini Plaza 2-http://assets.inhabitat.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2011/09/Parallel-Park-in-Vancouver11-537x402.jpg Victory Sq- https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8163/6996251914_0d2e121887.jpg Gastown- http://tomtomhb.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/dsc01457.jpg Urbanization Process: Burrard Peninsula- Dream city Overhead topo- http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA12838 topo- http://members.shaw.ca/eggertson.gray/vancouver_region.jpg Pireaus map: http://www.jfitzarchitect.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/hippodamus-le-piree-e1290102469415.jpg 1886 Vancouver- (From a reproduction in Derek Hayes, “Historical Atlas of Vancouver and the Lower Fraser Valley” (Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre, 2005), p. 52) civic center- Dream City. 1950 projection- http://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/plan-of-burrard-peninsula-distribution-of-population-estimated-for-1950;rad Bartholomew Plan- http://www.btaworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/bartholomew_zoning_plan_ final.jpg 86 map- http://www.expomuseum.com/1986/expo86map-large.jpg 1970 overhead- http://bobbea.com/expo-86/history.html Post 86- http://604now.com/2014/03/beautiful-photo-of-vancouver-after-expo-86/ Fasle creek Concord Pacific Place- Peter Jones. Future: 1926- http://img153.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=255374201_AerialviewlookingnorthfromFalseCreek1926_122_22lo.jpg# Future- http://storage.ubertor.com/cl786/content/image/44474.jpg west end- http://i.cbc.ca/1.2434446.1396969004!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/image. jpg
Hardcover and Government Publications
Web cont.
Berelowitz, Lance. Dream City: Vancouver and the Global Imagination. Vancouver, B.C.: Douglas & McIntyre, 2005. Print.
“Comparing Neighbourhoods - Vancouver.” CMHC. CMHC, n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2014
Bertaud, Alain. “10th Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey: 2014.” Demographia. Performance Urban Planning, 2013. Web. <http://www.demographia.com/dhi.pdf>. Canada. Vancouver City Council. City of Vancouver. Transportation 2040. City of Vancouver, 31 Oct. 2012. Web. <https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/Transportation_2040_Plan_as_adopted_by_Council.pdf>. “Census Demographic Bulletins and Maps.” Census Demographic Bulletins and Maps. N.p., n.d. Web. 23. Feb. 2014 Condon, Patrick M. Sustainable Urban Landscapes: The Surrey Design Charrette. Vancouver, B.C.: U of British Columbia, James Taylor Chair in Landscape and Liveable Environments, 1996. Print. Design for Diversity: Proceedings from the 36th Annual Conference of the Environmental Design Research Association: Vancouver, Canada, April 27-May 1, 2005. “Geological Association of Canada.” Geological Association of Canada. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2014. <http://www.gac.ca/wp/>. Jacobs, Jane. The Death and Life of Great American Cities. London: Pelican, 1964. Print. Liscombe, R. W. The New Spirit: Modern Architecture in Vancouver, 1938-1963. Montréal: Centre Canadien D’architecture/Canadian Centre for Architecture, 1997. Print.
Desilver, Drew. “Business and Technology.” The Seattle Times. The Seattle Times, Sept.-Oct.12. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. “Economy: Earthfuture.com.” Economy: Earthfuture.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. <http://www. earthfuture.com/economy/sei/sei34.asp>. “ExpoMuseum / Expo ‘86, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.” ExpoMuseum / Expo ‘86, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. <http://www.expomuseum.com/1986/>. “Gordon Campbell.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Apr. 2014 Web. 30 Apr. 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Campbell>. “Granville Island Public Market.” Home. CMHC-Granville Island, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2014. <http://granvilleisland.com/public-market>. Hansen, Darrah. “Vancouver Approves Transportation Strategy Aimed at Getting More People out of Cars.” Www.vancouversun.com. N.p., 1 Nov. 2012. Web. 28 Apr. 2014. <http://www.vancouversun.com/ news/Vancouver%2Bapproves%2Btransportation%2Bstrategy%2Baimed%2Bgetting%2Bmore%2Bpeople%2Bcars/7477536/story.html>. .” Harland Bartholomew and the City of Vancouver : Internet Archive. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2014. <https://archive.org/details/harlandbartholomew>.
Lynch, Kevin. The Image of the City. Cambridge, MA: MIT, 1960. Print.
Lee, Jessica. “Residential Tenancy Branch Announces Allowable Rent Increases for 2014.” Vancity Buzz Vancouver Events News Food Lifestyle and More. VanCity Buzz, n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.
Miller, David E. Toward a New Regionalism: Environmental Architecture in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle: U of Washington, 2005. Print.
“Mike Harcourt.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Apr. 2014. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Harcourt>.
Speck, Jeff. Walkable City: How Downtown Can save America, One Step at a Time. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012. Print.
“The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver.” Luxury Vancouver Hotel in British Columbia. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2014. <http://www.fairmont.com/hotel-vancouver/>.
“Sustainable zoning.” Home. City of Vancouver, 12 May 2012. Web. 22 Apr. 2014. <http://vancouver.ca/ home-property-development/sustainable-zoning-landing.aspx>.
Translink, n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. <http://www.translink.ca/>
West Hastings Street: Urban Design Guidelines Administrative Report, City of Vancouver, April 6, 2004
“Vancouver’s Important Bridges.” BCPassport. BCPassport, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2014. <http://bcpassport. com/vancouver-information/vancouver-vital-information/vancouvers-important-bridges/>
____________________________________________________________________________________ Web
“Vancouver SkyTrain - A Review.” Change Here. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2014. <http://changehere.wordpress.com/2011/07/24/vancouver-skytrain-a-review/>.
“BoardSource Welcomes New President and CEO Linda C. Crompton.” - Free Online Library. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. <http://www.thefreelibrary.com/BoardSource%2BWelcomes%2BNew%2BPresident%2Band%2BCEO%2BLinda%2BC.%2BCrompton.-a0165787819>.
Villegas, Lewis N. “Score a ‘Win’ for Vancouver Urbanism.” Web log post. Lewisnvillegas. Lewis N Villegas, 9 June 2012. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.
“Concord Pacific.” Vancouver Real Estate + Condo For Sale | Concord Pacific. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. <http://www.concordpacific.com/>.\
“Welcome to Vancouver Chinatown.” Vancouver Chinatown. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2014. <http://vancouver-chinatown.com/history/history.php>.
Arch 483 | Brandon B Sweeney | Spring 2014