Narrative:
The design approach creates a community experience that is simultaneously a building, an urban place, a park, and an ecosystem. The convention center program emphasizes spaces for both public and private events, gatherings, and circulation. Urban spaces formed by the building’s landforms extend the downtown street grid to preserve view corridors out to the water. Waterfront and urban pedestrian activities extend the public realm through and around the site, with 400,000 square feet of walkways, bikeways, public open space, and plazas, constituting the city’s first major public gathering space on the water. The entire perimeter enclosure is an ultra-clear glass system, which provides strong linkages between interior and exterior public spaces, and visually reinforces the integration of urban and waterfront context into the user experience of the building.
The project serves as a centerpiece to Vancouver’s growing collection of urban places, showing the city’s commitment to sustainability, reducing global warming, and contributing to the concept of a Livable Region. Because of the project’s excellent location in relationship to walking/ bicycling and public transportation, local shows have a very high use of alternative transportation. Out-of-town shows typically draw patrons through local taxi and bus transportation from airports.
Metrics:
Estimated percent of occupants using public transit, cycling or walking:
83%
Regional Community Design
source: http://www.aiatopten.org