Bob Ransford argues that the policies that have shaped Vancouver's streets and skyline over the last decades into a global icon of planning and design are an accomplishment of style over substance that fail to look at how people inhabit buildings.
Ransford defines "Vancouverism" as "a
design trend that has among its key principles residential buildings
that are in the form of thin point towers with a podium at street level
wrapped with townhouses providing 'eyes on the street.'" And while these principles, along with a focus on glass-glad buildings, make for pretty architecture, Ransford and architect Gair Williamson surmise that they fail to acknowledge the changing needs of users.
"These are conservative times, but technological
changes are changing values and shaping different ways people want to
live and work. Meanwhile, architects are reverting to classic solutions -
classic meaning something that is timeless and not adaptable," says Williamson.
While Ransford attempts to assign responsibility for the failure to re-imagine "the substance" inside the city's stylish new buildings to those who've established the framework for how the city has evolved, Williamson puts the blame squarely on architects.
"‘You can blame city hall, the client, the public consultation process or
the project budget, but in fact it is the disinterest of those involved
in the design process who, with a few exceptions, fail to challenge the
status quo."
FULL STORY: ‘Vancouverism’ architecture: It's style over substance
Making Density a Cornerstone for Successful City-Making
Density is a loaded term that brings with it many negative connotations. But it can help solve "our city's toughest challenges." Brent Toderian discusses lessons from Vancouver on how to turn "the third rail of municipal politics" into an asset.
Why Has 'Vancouverism' Become a Hard Sell in Canada?
Vancouver's remarkable experiment in livable density is the envy of, and model for, cities across the world. So, after a decade of skyline expansion across Canada, why has densification 'lost steam' in the country? Doug Saunders investigates.
Vancouver in Cinemascope
With the Winter Olympics fast approaching, the editor of Vancouver Magazine takes a shot at capturing the big picture of the city that has become a model for planners everywhere.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?
The Five Most-Changed American Cities
A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.
San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan
The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.
Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts
Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.
Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement
An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions