An experimental project titled Tangential Vancouverism: projects for Vancouver’s urbanism brings together a diverse Vancouver-based team that includes five emerging design practices and three urban thinkers. Beginning in October 2011, this project has operated as a forum for design research aspiring to innovate on the current models by which the city builds. The outcomes of this inaugural project will be presented as a public exhibition opening on Friday, March 2, 2012 at 221a Gallery in Chinatown and running until April 15.
Four years have passed since the tour of Trevor Boddy’s exhibition, Vancouverism, that showcased the architecture and urban planning that has made Vancouver recognized around the world. While an extraordinary built environment continues to develop, Tangential Vancouverism, an initiative directed by Alexandra Kenyon and Alex Buss, foregrounds that a density and diversity of experiences in the city, and our relationships to them, is what will allow for Vancouver to fully thrive in the future.
Exhibition dates: March 3 – April 29th, 2012
Opening Reception: Friday, March 2, 8:00pm
Gallery location: 221a Artist Run Centre, 221a Georgia St., Vancouver
Vancouver is a young city, and maintains the experimental attitude that has fostered the successful Vancouverism urban development models in the past. Capitalizing on this momentum and openness, the invited design practices – Hapa Collaborative, ph5 architecture / Urban Republic, Public Architecture and Communication, RUF Project, and space2place – and urban thinkers – Ian Ross McDonald, Matthew Soules, and Hannah Teicher, are all generating projects that look beyond Vancouver’s status quo. With interests in tenability, each project considers the necessary political, social, and economic triggers for its urban innovation to take root.
With rapid densification being a regional reality in Metro Vancouver, exciting initiatives that this new density grants – like separated bike lanes, lane-way housing, and the city’s ever expanding street food options – offer a taste of the potential for heightened urbanity. Intent on broadening these discussions around increased street vitality, Tangential Vancouverism hopes to prompt discussion through design projects, written proposals, and dialogue that engage the public and private sector alike.
In addition to the exhibition, Tangential Vancouverism will also host a series of talks by many of those involved on March 24 at 221a Gallery, and offers an on-going website documenting project process and related city initiatives at tangentialVancouverism.ca.
For more information contact:
hi@tangentialVancouverism.ca
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