A few of the new developments still emerging along False Creek.
Just across from David Lam Park on Homer Street, a new and much-needed childcare centre is being finished. Designed by Walter Francl, it continues the high standard we have come to expect for such centres in this city. Beautiful use of materials.
At the end of Homer, the twisting building named after Arthur Erickson if not quite by him.
At the Olympic Village, an unnamed (at least to me) condo that applies the spandrel panels (do I have that right?) like shingles. Not a bad name for the building: The Shingles.
Of course given that everything is new at the Village, there is a certain antispetic feeling about it, rather like the North Shore. And now quite unlike the South Shore, designed in the 1970s, that seems so quaint and lived-in by comparison, like worn but comfortable clothes.
For more on the architecture of Southeast False Creek, go here to Chapter 4 in the Challenge series.
No matter how good the architecture in the Olympic Village, it’s all trumped by the seawall and the first of the landscaped open spaces, still fenced-off and growing-in, but clearly of extraordinary quality. (Here’s the article in the Challenge series on the watefront and parks.)
The curtain wall of the twisty Erickson buildings at SEFC was supposed to resemble fish scales. Not really all that successful becuase of the stripes created by the different coloured spandrel panels and the way the spandrels blend into each other in the light (i.e. each scale is not clearly defined depending on the angle of viewing).
Those two buildings (i.e with the best views) will be the home of the Canadian team during the Games.
To me, that building never really captured the work of Erickson, though it does look pretty funky now that it’s done. Actually, Erickson might be a good candidate for a street name when one is needed.
That park looks rather neat now that it’s finished. Next time I’m around there I’ll have to check it out.
Other than that, though, have you noticed how well the SEFC athletes village is being integrated into the surrounding neighbourhood? I mean, I’ve always felt there was a kind of dead space between that and 2nd Ave.
I’m not the first person to say this, but the Erickson would look better if it were taller, partly because it would twist more.
Similarly scaled buildings are being developed by Pinnacle and Wall Financial on the block between 1st Ave and 2nd Ave. – so there will be a nice consistency in the build-out north of 2nd Ave. The first example a bit further west is the Exchange and the Foundry buildings.
As far as I know, the area south of 2nd Ave will remain light industrial – which means shorter buildings.