For you Vancouverites who are at loose ends now that ‘silly season’ (aka the civic elections) is over, here is another opportunity to vote!

In September, The City of Vancouver invited the public and local and international design community to submit ideas for the future of the Georgia and Dunsmuir Viaducts and the larger Eastern Core area. The response was excellent. “Visualizing the Viaducts” received 104 submissions from 13 countries – 75 percent within Metro Vancouver. Other countries included the US, Mexico, UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Poland, Turkey, Slovenia, South Korea, Hong Kong and Australia.

Submissions range from the beautification of the viaducts, to their re-use as open space or other uses, or their partial or complete removal and replacement. The visions range from the practical and pragmatic, to the futuristic and whimsical.

Here are a few samples of the submissions:

 

In addition to the public ‘popular’ vote, the City has assembled a design jury to give a ‘professional’ opinion.  You can find out who won both the ‘people’s choice’ and the ‘jury’s choice’ on December 1st.

re:CONNECT Vancouver’s Viaducts and Eastern Core Ideas Competition Award Announcement and Panel Discussion December 1^st

The jury is comprised of renowned urbanists Allan Jacobs and Joe Hruda, architect Patricia Patkau, sustainability expert Robert Bennett (Portland Sustainability Institute) and urban economics expert Dr. Tom Hutton, have selected the winning submissions which will be announced as part of a public dialog on December 1st. The People’s Choice Awards will also be presented on December 1st.

A Panel discussion with the local jury members augmented by Helle Soholt (Gehl Architects, Copenhagen), Ken Greenberg (Greenberg Consultants Inc, Toronto), and Brent Toderian, City of Vancouver Director of Planning will follow the award announcements. The discussion will be moderated by Gordon Price.

Panel Members:

• Ken Greenberg, Greenberg Consultants Inc
• Joe Hruda, Civitas Urban Design and Planning
• Dr. Tom Hutton, UBC School of Community and Regional Planning
• Patricia Patkau, Patkau Architects
• Helle Soholt, Gehl Architects
• Brent Toderian, Director of Planning City of Vancouver

 

Details:

Thursday, December 1st 7-9 pm
Room 3200 – Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema
Woodwards Building
149 West Hastings
Admission is free, but seating is limited. Please arrive early to avoid disappointment.

More Information:

CITY OF VANCOUVER
www.vancouver.ca/reconnect

 

Related articles

• re:CONNECT design competition – vote for your favourite idea (vancouverpublicspace.wordpress.com)
• Vancouver viaduct study to enter second phase (theprovince.com)
• Robertson’s Vision team sees clear win in Vancouver municipal vote (thestar.com)