Is Vancouver Losing Its Soul?

A wrong turn in the city that showed us how to do tall buildings right

A “dead zone” is taking over the north shore of iconic False Creek as new super high-rises completely ignore the basic human need for congenial spots to gather and play. With the newer tall buildings, human scale is seriously missing.

This is a shame in a city known around the world for its beauty, dynamic culture and tradition of lively public spaces. Its waterfront is revered as a wonderful place to walk and bike. Many other cities have learned lessons from Vancouver ’s lead in many aspects of placemaking, but that wisdom now seems forgotten in its birthplace.

This view shows the north side of False Creek where taller and more anonymous buildings are popping up at an alarming rate. Granville Island in the foreground exemplifies “social life” is at its best, but these newer “place deserts” do not fit with what we come to expect of the Vancouver after visiting frequently over the last 40 years.

You can see buildings from three different eras in the two photos above. The lower buildings, dating back 30 years, feature plentiful public activity at the ground level. The larger and later buildings devote their ground floors to large vehicle turnarounds, which prevent other uses.

Public spaces on the north side of False Creek are woefully underused. The boulders (left) may accommodate sunbathers but stymie more active uses, making it boring for families and young people. Townhouses and towering apartments show a preference for green space, not active space—which seems to cater to suburban dwellers moving into the city who want quiet and a view of the water, rather than lively urban activity.

Taller new buildings prioritize large drop-off circles and wide parking ramp entrances over all other public uses. Any social or playful activity here can occur only in vehicle spaces, heavily landscaped areas, or limited scraps of open space.

The new False Creek developments need to take a page out of Granville Island’s playbook. It is Canada’s biggest visitor destination after Niagara Falls — thanks to stunning array of cultural facilities, markets, play areas, water activities, restaurants and waterfront views. Some would say it makes up for the lack of social spaces on the north side of False Creek.

The south side of False Creek, with its mix of low rise and mid rise developments is a case study in how a variety of public space types can become a resource for a community. But one new development, Olympic Village sadly misses the mark. We will comment on it in another posting.