GESAMTKUNSTWERK

Westbank has built a practice around long-term commitments to artistry, sustainability and city-building. These commitments underlie an orientation towards projects like Woodwards, Vancouver House, Mirvish Village, Telus Garden and Oakridge – catalysts for larger change that go beyond the borders of the projects themselves. We are here to create. To provoke. To ignite. We are the vehicle for a new movement of cultural expression.

As the practice matures, we have become more ambitious. With every new project reflecting our commitment to the philosophy behind Gesamkunstwerk, or in our recent work the Japanese philosophy behind layering, the net effect is that our work becomes much more complex and far-reaching.

The core of Westbank’s mission is to create a body of work with a high degree of artistry that helps foster more equitable and beautiful cities. Westbank is active across Canada and in the United States, with projects including luxury residential, Five Star hotels, retail, office, rental, district energy systems, affordable housing initiatives and public art. Established in 1992, we are one of North America’s leading developers, with offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Seattle, Shanghai, Beijing, Taiwan, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shenzhen and over 25 billion dollars of projects completed or under development.

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Philosophy
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March 01, 2016

Bloor Hot Docs Cinema – The Infinite Happiness

Renowned Danish architect Bjarke Ingels tackles the question: can we foster a sense of community in buildings that house hundreds or thousands of people? Find his answer in the famous ‘8’ building in Copenhagen—an ultramodern loop of apartments whose 500 residents can traverse all nine floors by bicycle, while children attend kindergarten on the ground floor. Taking us into the heart of the ‘8’ community, The Infinite Happiness shows how the building’s shape affects the everyday lives of its inhabitants: from birthday party treasure hunts to roof-climbing, yoga classes, pizza deliveries and more.

Here in Toronto, the Bjarke Ingels Group is set to create a new landmark on King Street, promising a local taste of that Scandinavian urbanism. As condo skyscrapers continue to pepper landscapes around the world, perhaps it’s time to consider a more radical approach to city living.

The Infinite Happiness is screening at Bloor Hot Docs Cinemas March 21-27. Tickets can be purchased via the online box office, using the discount code: BJARKEINGELS.

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