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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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 House Gallery waterfront facility at the foot of Lonsdale. The new 19,000 sq. ft. space is bright and full of natural light (the best light to view art, says Reid), with more exhibition, event and lecture space that can house up to 300 people attending programs.

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Not only is the facility designed to engage people inside, the plaza, bookstore and cafe is designed to bring together the community in one place.

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Reid introduced public art pieces for various Westbank developments to attendees, including images of a work by Turner prize winner Martin Boyce and an animation of the kinetic Rodney Graham spinning chandelier slated to go underneath the Granville Street Bridge in the latter part of Vancouver House’s build-out. He spoke about public art being woven in to the fabric of a city and about his hopes that donating to the proliferation of public arts and culture will become a forefront thought.

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Congratulations to Hanne Dalgleish, our #gwerksalon winner this week! Her question was on the sustainability of public art.

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“Good public art enriches as it ages.” – Reid Shier

To learn more about the new Presentation House Gallery facility, please visit their website, Facebook and Twitter.

Our next salon is Sunday, May 11 at 4pm with Andy Yan of Bing Thom Architects. RSVP here!

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