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
April 12, 2016
Explore our partnership with the world's premier piano manufacturer.

The Fazioli Pianos

Our partnership with the Fazioli Company, the world’s premier piano manufacturer, has brought a certain level of sophistication to many of our projects.  The beautifully crafted pianos effortlessly become a crown jewel, allowing their distinct sound to fill any space. It began with the Shangri-La, Vancouver, where we commissioned a custom-made black lacquer Fazioli that complements the dark chocolate and […]

Continued
February 28, 2016

Vincent Van Gogh’s The Bedroom at the Fairmont Pacific Rim

From February 25th to March 27th, Oakridge Centre is presenting The Van Gogh Museum Edition Canadian Tour, which showcases nine certified limited editions of the Dutch master’s most celebrated works: Almond Blossom, Sunflowers, The Harvest, Wheatfield under Thunderclouds, Boulevard de Clichy, Undergrowth, The Bedroom, Fishing Boats on the Beach at Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer and Landscape at Twilight. […]

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December 15, 2015

The Experience

Vancouver artist Elizabeth Zvonar conjures romantic sentiment and melancholic undertones in The Experience, a bleached-out collage and light installation boldly positioned in downtown Vancouver during the dreary winter months. Combining materials and strategies used in advertising, the site-specific public artwork draws tangential connections between thoughtful inquiry and advertorial amusement. A pair of sunglasses is placed […]

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December 15, 2015

Art of Development

Even before you enter Fairmont Pacific Rim, you will be captivated by its exterior. Three extraordinary works draw attention – hotel architect and photographer James Cheng’s facade on perforated stainless steel creates the illusion of a forest; British artist Liam Gillick’s hypnotic, continuous thread of words stand boldly along floors five to 22; and a […]

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December 02, 2015

“Spinning Chandelier,” by Vancouver artist Rodney Graham approved by Vancouver City Council

“Spinning Chandelier,” by Vancouver artist Rodney Graham is a kinetic sculpture that will transform the vast, cathedral-like spaces under the Granville Bridge. Graham’s sculpture extends from his 2005 35-fi lm loop installation Torqued Chandelier Release in which a crystal chandelier whirls rapidly as its supporting cable is unwound. Installed under the bridge above the intersection […]

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March 10, 2015

Fairmont Pacific Rim unveils Bocci’s largest public art work in Canada

16 is made of an armature of stainless steel forms that resemble trees, terminating with large, lit glass ‘leaves’. The leaves consist of three layers of glass – milk white, transparent grey, clear – each individually poured on top of the other. By virtue of the fabrication technique, no two leaves are the same in […]

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June 03, 2014

Westbank Salon Series: James Cheng Recap

On Sunday June 1, 2014, the Westbank Salon Series came to an end with architect James K.M. Cheng, speaking to a full house of fans and former colleagues. Introducing Cheng was Ian Gillespie, president of Westbank Projects Corp., who spoke to both the 17,000 people that came through the Gesamtkunstwerk exhibition — Vancouverites that care […]

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June 02, 2014

Westbank Salon Series: Jeff Derksen Recap

On the last weekend of Gesamtkunstwerk, we held three Westbank Salon Series sessions to close out the exhibition — the first being with poet and Professor of English at Simon Fraser University, Jeff Derksen. Exhibition curator Trevor Boddy began the afternoon talk with an apropos statement: “Cities are built with words and ideas as much […]

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May 28, 2014

Westbank Salon Series: Jeff Derksen

Jeff Derksen is a poet and Professor of English at Simon Fraser University. Derksen’s books of poetry include The Vestiges, Transnational Muscle Cars, Dwell and Down Time. His book of essays Annihilated Time: Poetry and Other Politics was followed his essays on art and urbanism, After Euphoria. He is a member of the research collective […]

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May 23, 2014

GWERK Profile No. 13,577: Margherita Porra

It’s been an amazing past few weeks talking to the wonderfully talented and creative people who make up Vancouver through our GWERK Profiles. The first of two for this week is with Margherita Porra, creative director of a design agency called arithmetic creative. Tell us about yourself and what you do. I run a branding & […]

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May 23, 2014

Bold City-Building Ideas Generated at Gesamtkunstwerk Exhibition

Gesamtkunstwerk, the multi-media exhibition on architecture and city-building, developed by Westbank Projects Corp. and designed by the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), will be extended through May 30, due to popularity and overwhelming demand. In the eight weeks since opening, more than 15,000 visitors from 12 countries have looked at the thought, skills and passion that go […]

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May 15, 2014

GWERK Profile No. 3,589: Roy Yen

It’s been fantastic speaking to all the amazing contributors, influencers and people that make up Vancouver in our GWERK Profiles feature! This week we spent some time with Roy Yen, Producer and Principal of soomö Entertainment Company. Tell us about yourself and what you do. Fairly typical to native Vancouverites, I was born and raised here on […]

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May 12, 2014

Showcase Piano Event

The gallery space was buzzing with adults and children in their finest attire at the Showcase Piano soiree on Saturday May 10, 2014, hosted by Manuel Bernaschek. An authentic black Fazioli was brought in for the occasion, which got its ivory keys performed on beautifully by a group of talented young pianists, decked out in […]

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May 08, 2014

Westbank Salon Series: Reid Shier Recap

The Westbank Salon Series stepped into spring with Reid Shier, the Director/Curator of Presentation House Gallery in North Vancouver and public art consultant for private developers and public agencies across Canada. Reid, an Emily Carr University alum, spoke to the crowd about on working with Governor General prize-winning firm Patkau Architects on a new Presentation […]

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May 07, 2014

Public Art and Westbank: Part Two

“A transformative artwork “Spinning Chandelier” re-imagines an under-appreciated civic space, setting a new international precedent for conceptual art at city scale. For Vancouverites, this will become the new ‘Nine O’clock Gun’ — the gift of an extraordinary new urban ritual.” – Reid Shier, public art consultant and Director of Presentation House Gallery. “Spinning Chandelier”, by […]

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May 07, 2014

Public Art and Westbank: Part One

In a class of its own as a development industry patron of creativity, Westbank has embraced demanding, avant-garde work by the world’s finest artists, using its projects as vast canvases. Westbank-commissioned new public art are integrated into its Vancouver developments. Previous Westbank public art commissions include “Abbott & Cordova, 7 August 1971” by Stan Douglas, […]

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May 05, 2014

Westbank Salon Series: Reid Shier

Reid Shier is our first guest speaker going into the second month of the Westbank Salon Series! He is the Director/Curator of Presentation House Gallery in North Vancouver, which is currently working with Patkau Architects on plans for a new waterfront facility.  Shier also works with private developers and public agencies as public art consultant for projects throughout Canada. Shier […]

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May 02, 2014

Visitor No. 8,479: Graham Handford

Continuing our GWERK Profiles feature on the amazing contributors, influencers and people that make up Vancouver, today we introduce Graham Handford, in-house Graphic Designer at Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership Architects Designers Planners (MCM) and architectural photography aficionado. Tell us about yourself and what you do. My roots run deep in Vancouver – my great-great-grandfather Barney […]

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April 11, 2014

Meet The Mobile Photographers: Part Three

Continuing our series on the mobile photographers whose work is now up at our exhibition, we’re thrilled to introduce Maurice Li and Alex Strohl, the two co-founders of Stay+Wander, both of whom curated these works for the space. Name: Maurice Li Instagram: @maurice Maurice Li is a curious photographer and entrepreneur who was born in […]

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March 27, 2014

Stay+Wander Mobile Photography Reception

Last Saturday was a fun-filled night of food trucks, drinks and a great crowd of 300 people celebrating the mobile photography exhibit-within-the-exhibition, curated by Stay+Wander and part of the larger exhibition. Photographers from Vancouver and worldwide interpreted and submitted architectural and urban works around the “life as a total work of art” theme, and some […]

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March 21, 2014

Meet The Mobile Photographers: Part Two

Continuing our series of mobile photographers whose work will be featured at the Gesamtkunstwerk exhibition starting this Saturday March 22 to mid-May, meet the next set of talent! Name: Andrea Dabene Instagram: @andreadabene Andrea was raised in Costa Rica, Brazil and France. Her upbringing has informed her love of travel and photography in truly multicultural […]

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March 17, 2014

Meet The Mobile Photographers: Part One

Gesamtkunstwerk is thrilled to be working with some of the most talented mobile photographers in the world on a photography exhibition-within-an-exhibition, which opens for public viewing on March 22. Their works will be on display as part of the larger Gesamtkunstwerk exhibition, open Monday to Sunday from 11am to 5pm until mid-May. Meet the first […]

Continued
March 13, 2014

The Art of Development

From initiating Vancouver’s first developer-run public art competition for Bute Street alongside its Palisades and Residences on Georgia projects, to large scale urban commissions to Britain’s Liam Gillick at Fairmont Pacific Rim and Vancouver’s Stan Douglas at Woodward’s atrium, Westbank has led Canada’s development industry in integrating leading-edge contemporary art into its developments. The developer’s long-term commitment to public art includes commissions to […]

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March 11, 2014

Time-Lapse Animation of Rodney Graham Spinning Chandelier

A time-lapse animation of Rodney Graham’s concept for his “spinning chandelier”, to be suspended from the underside of the Granville Street Bridge as part of Vancouver House. The chandelier is shown is schematic form without detail. The rendering will be shown as part of the exhibition, Gesamtkunstwerk, that begins March 22 in Vancouver.

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March 06, 2014

Rodney Graham Work Gives Light To The Underbelly of Granville Street Bridge

Approved by the Public Art Committee of the City of Vancouver, a vast spinning chandelier by Abbotsford-born artist Rodney Graham will be installed underneath the Granville Street Bridge as part of the Vancouver House development. The spinning chandelier will be a sight to see. Kinetic and in the shape of a giant faux-crystal candelabra from […]

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