Local architect Danica Djurkovic says shes witnessed a lot of changes in the past 15 years with the citys buildings.
Vancouver has come a long way in reviving the streets and neighbourhoods, and creating mix-used buildings, paying a lot of attention to public grounds and spaces, says Djurkovic, who is also director of facilities planning and development for the City of Vancouver.
I think the whole point of these buildings is to make people feel really comfortable and to make them want to come and use them. Theres been a trend of opening up more to the streets and opening up to the parks its been so significant.
Earlier this summer, two buildings owned by the City of Vancouver were recognized by the Architectural Institute of British Columbia for architectural innovation and sustainability.
The VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre designed by Busby Perkins+Will Architects, received the 2012 Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Award in Architecture as well as the 2012 Lieutenant Governors Award for Engineering Excellence, which Djurkovic says is a unique recognition for a building.
The Oppenheimer Park Activity Centre, designed by Mcfarlane Green Biggar Architecture + Design, was also recognized with a 2012 Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Award in Architecture.
Were very proud of both of these projects, Djurkovic says. We wanted to push boundaries and encourage people to take more steps towards sustainable buildings.
While the eco-friendly VanDusen is very different from the community services-oriented Oppenheimer, Djurkovic noted that the planning of both buildings had the same goal in mind to make the spaces as comfortable and functional as possible for the people using them.
Djurkovic says the city, which owns more than 500 buildings, has a unique role as a building developer in that it looks at the entire life cycle of a building from the construction to the impact it will have on the area 100 years down the road.
People are looking to us as builders before we start mandating and regulating, she says. We want to make sure we are walking the walk first.
So what makes Vancouver buildings unique?
I think there is almost a West Coast architectural movement that exists that is really unique to the area, she says.
Djurkovic pauses for a couple of seconds.
What I have found is that there really is a balanced approach with the design of the building the use of wood and local materials and there is also a lightness to the look of the buildings, she continues. There is a good balance of value that were mindful of something that is budgeted well, but is functional, designed well and operated well and sustainable. I think that is what makes Vancouver and the West Coast unique in the world.
Vancouver has received a number of awards for its buildings over the years.
To see the list of awards, visit Vancouver.ca/parks/info/awards.htm.
