Big Ideas for the VAG

The Quadrisect

This unsolicited proposal by Michael Green Architecture splits the money between a renovation for the existing Art Gallery, and developing three satellite downtown galleries linked by “art walks.” Site one: the “Char Gallery” housing the Historical Canadian Collection in a modernized Gastown space. Site two: the contemporary “Truss Gallery” on a pedestrian walkway running underneath the Granville Street Bridge. Third: the “Blowdown Gallery” featuring sculpture and photography deep beneath the East Lawn in Stanley Park. Mg-architecture.ca

The Multiplex

Another unsolicited vision by James Todd and Tony Osborn Architecture removes the traffic loops at the end of the Granville Street Bridge and lays down a “Welcome Mat” encompassing a 3.5-acre space from Howe to Seymour, and Pacific to Rolston. More than just a museum, this new space (“The Mat”) would act as a social and artistic entrance to Downtown Vancouver from the Granville Street Bridge including a bike share hub, theatres, classrooms, cafes, and-oh right-public art and galleries. Vancouvermat.com

The Big Idea

In stark contrast with Bartels vision of a “single star” mega-gallery, Bob Rennie and David Baxter envision a 15-year, $125 million plan to transform the VAG into the epicenter of a seven-gallery “constellation.” In their proposal, the Offsite exhibition site at the Shangri-La would remain unchanged, and a renovation at the existing VAG would host a gallery of conceptual photography and the Canadian Historical Collection. The plan’s big build would be a third 50,000 square-foot “Temporary to Contemporary” gallery on the hot property of Larwill Park. Lastly, Rennie and Baxter envision four 12,000 square-foot community “Arts Places” housing First Nations Contemporary, Asian/East Asian, Graphics and Design, and Religious/Spiritual art dispersed throughout Vancouver’s neighbourhoods. No eye-catching renderings exist for “The $150 Million Solution” yet. As Rennie told us, “I don’t hire architects.” Allianceforarts.com (PDF)

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