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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May 02, 2014

Welcome to the New Beach District Neighbourhood (Part Two)

The large rendered plan above by Vancouver House landscape architects PFS Studio shows Beach District public spaces in full use, with the companion zones of Granville Island also illustrated for comparison. This compelling drawing portrays the hive of activity that will soon demark both sides of False Creek; look closely, you’ll see a rich range of activity on the streets.

The green roofs have been shown at the top of the Vancouver House buildings, and linkages from the new development to False Creek and its ferries are evident. New retail and public space opportunities will give the north under-bridge zone the same liveliness found in the south zone on Granville Island, where the market building, Emily Carr University and other arts uses have transformed this into one of Vancouver’s most-loved spaces. The ‘call-out’ drawings are zoom-ins highlighting some of the key spaces (pictured below).

Enlightened city-building is more about people than it is concrete or copper, and this drawing shows how Beach District sets stages for every aspect of urban life.

“Our firm has worked on Westbank projects for 20 years. These are some of the most original and important urban landscapes we have designed.” – Chris Phillips, Phillips Farevaag Smallenberg Landscape Architects (PFS Studio)

farmersmarket

 (Farmer’s Market)

outdoorconcert

(Outdoor Concert)

foodkiosks

 (Restaurants and Food Kiosks)

granvilleisland

 (Granville Island Public Market)

 

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