Where's the Square? Events
Key perspectives on the importance of public squares and other public gathering places
Vancouver's New Public Squares: Winning Ideas for a Grand Gathering Place
Wednesday, May 27, 2009 - 7:00 to 9:00pm
Join us at Heritage Hall (3102 Main Street) as we unveil the winning designs from the Vancouver Public Space Network’s “Where’s the Square?” Ideas Design Competition.
Over 50 design teams submitted plans for a central public square… and after a lengthy review process it’s time to announce the winners! Join us as we unveil the Jury Selection* and the People’s Choice Award (and perhaps a surprise or two as well!).
The evening will also feature a short program of events with special guest speakers and live entertainment. It’s a soiree for squares – and a celebration of public space. Mark your calendars and join the party!
* The Where’s the Square Jury: Lance Berelowitz (Urban Planner), Jane Durante (Landscape Architect), Bill Pechet (Architect), Derek Von Essen (Photographer), Micheal Vonn (Civil Liberties), Yosef Wosk (Interdisciplinary Studies)
:: Download Event Poster (PDF)
:: Shortlisted Entries - Vote until midnight, Friday May 22
Visions of Vancouver's Grand Gathering Place: “Where’s the Square?” Design Competition Shortlist Winners
Tuesday, April 28, 2009 - 6:00 to 9:00pm
Over the last few months the Vancouver Public Space Network has been running a Design Ideas Competition that encouraged participants to create drawings and plans for a central public square in On April 28, 2009, come down to the Roundhouse Community Centre to see the short-listed entries from the Vancouver Public Space Network’s “Where’s the Square?” Design Competition. Over 50 design teams submitted proposals. We'll be unveiling the designs that made the public shortlist. And best of all, you’ll get a chance to vote for your favourite.
The evening will also feature a short program of events that focus on the artistic aspects of public gathering places, with special guest speakers and live entertainment.
Doors open at 6:00pm and the evening’s events start at 7:00pm.
:: Download Event Poster - Descriptive Text (JPG) (PDF)
:: Download Event Poster (JPG) (PDF)
The event is FREE and takes place at the Roundhouse Community Centre, 181 Roundhouse Mews at the corner of Davie & Pacific. For more information please email us at info [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca
YouTube Playlist of selected clips from the evening above.
The Public Square as an Economic Space
Wednesday, April 8, 2009 - 7:00 to 9:00pm
In many cities public squares (as one component of the public realm) play a key role in the local economy. Consider some of the many dimensions of economic activity that exist within such grand gathering places: public markets, celebratory events and concerts, carnivals, lunch-time vending, tours and tourism activities, busking, cafes and more.
Not only that, but well designed public squares and plazas often prove to be a magnet for stores, services, artists and entertainers who want to locate in or near the action – a fact that, in turn, brings even more people into these central gathering places. The flexible nature of good public squares mean that they act as catalysts for a diverse array of economic activity – much more so than malls or commercial streets.
What if Vancouver had a main public square such as exists in other corners of the globe? What sort of role would this space play on the economic life of our city?
The Vancouver Public Space Network is pleased to present the latest instalment of our “Where’s the Square?” Speaker Series. Please join us for a discussion on The Public Square as an Economic Space.
The event starts with presentations by our special guests:
- Trevor Barnes, Economic Geographer, UBC
- Andrea Reimer, Councillor, City of Vancouver
- John Tylee, Vancouver Economic Development Commission
We’ll also be providing time for a Q&A. And along the way, we’ll also be providing an update on our “Where’s the Square?” ideas design competition. It promises to be a great evening, and we hope you’ll be able to be present.
The event is free and takes place 7:00-9:00pm at Kitsilano Neighbourhood House, 2325 West 7th Avenue. For more information, please see email us at info [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca.
"Where’s the Square?” Feature Presentation: Implementing Urbanism, with Scot Hein
Monday, February 23, 2009 - 7:00 to 9:00pm
Join us for a a "Where's the Square?" feature presentation as part of the next VPSN Open House.
We start the evening with a presentation by Scot Hein, the Senior Urban Designer at the City of Vancouver. Scot’s will be giving a slide show on the idea an practice of “Implementing Urbanism.” The presentation will be a mix of big picture vision, theory and case-study – and will be of interest to anyone with a hankering for good urban design. Not only that, but it will be particularly salient to the VPSN’s “Where’s the Square?” initiative – which is all about integrating a grand gathering place within Vancouver’s urban fabric.
The event takes place 7-9pm. The location is just being finalized, and we’ll be posting the details out in a couple of days. Note: owing to potential space limitations we may require a registration for this event. For more information, see our Events page
The Public Square: Politics, Protest and Peace of Mind
Thursday, December 11, 2008 - 7:00 to 9:00pm
Mark your calendar and plan to come out for the VPSN’s next exciting “Where’s the Square?” event – Thursday December 11 (7:00-9:00pm) at the Vancouver Public Library.
We’ve lined up an excellent panel of speakers – each of whom will be looking at the function that plazas, piazzas and squares play in cities, as well as the role that a public square – a grand gathering place - might play in Vancouver.
Joining us for the evening will be:
- Michael Barnholden – Author of Reading the Riot Act. Mr. Barnholden will be looking at the function of public squares as sites of protest and political gathering.
- Chuck Davis - A local historian best known for writing The Vancouver Book – an encyclopaedic compendium of Lower Mainland culture and heritage – who will talk about the recent history of gatherings in Vancouver and the region.
- John Helliwell – Professor Emeritus at the UBC. Professor Helliwell has written widely on the Economics of Happiness and will be presenting on the role of gathering places in ensuring a good quality of life.
"Where's the Square?" – Gathering Places, Art, Memory: Presentation by Prof. Adrienne Burk
November 26, 2008 (7:00-9:00pm) at the Vancouver Public Library, 350 West Georgia Street
Join us for a VPSN double-bill. We'll be starting the evening with a guest presentation by Professor Adrienne Burk. Professor Burk teaches anthropology and sociology at SFU and has undertaken some very interesting research on the interplay between gathering places, public art, monument building and cultural memory. Her presentation will feature slides and an opportunity for discussion… and provides a timely contribution to the VPSN's "Where's the Square?" Ideas Design Competition.
The second part of the evening will be used as a bit of an open-house as we showcase some of our recent work. Our various Coordinators will be giving an update on the VPSN's projects and activities – including our work on Bicycle infrastructure, public art, urban design, community gardens and lots more. 2008 has been our busiest year yet, and we've been able to accomplish all sorts of interesting things! This is a great opportunity to learn more about the various public space issues that are going on in Vancouver.
Citizen Square: A Dialogue on the Grand Gathering Place
Monday, November 10, 2008 (7:00-9:00pm)
If we were to have a grand public square in Vancouver what would you want to see in it? What sorts of activities would take place in or around it? Are their defining characteristics that would be important to include?
Here’s your chance to tell us what you think! Our next “Where’s the Square?” event is coming up fast. Mark your calendars and be sure to let us know if you are able to attend.
With the public square ideas competition contest brief just weeks away from being released (on November 15), we wanted to hold an event that would allow residents of the city to help shape some of the parameters of the competition. Join us for an evening of dialogue on piazzas and plazas – created just the way you like.
Citizen Square will be comprised of a series of facilitated discussions aimed at identifying the types of characteristics and features that people want in a Vancouver public square.
The event takes place 7:00-9:00pm in the Alma VanDusen Room, Lower Level, Vancouver Public Library, 350 West Georgia. There are a limited number of seats available for this event. It’s free, but you have to RSVP to attend.
:: To register – send an email to info@vancouverpublicspace.ca, or call 778-239-7544
'Where's the Square?' Walking Tours
Saturday and Sunday October 25-26, 2008
Join us for a two hour exploration of public gathering places in Vancouver - the spaces that work, those that don't... and those that never got built!
Meet 1:00pm on the south steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery
Imagining a Public Square for Vancouver: The Grandest Gathering Place
Tuesday, September 23, 2008 - 7:00-9:00pm
Join us for the inaugural event – and formal launch – of the Vancouver Public Space Network’s “Where’s the Square?” Design Ideas Competition. Download :: 1 Page Backgrounder :: Event Poster Colour :: Event Poster B&W :: Press Release September 20, 2008
To kick things off, we’ve invited a selection of three of Canada’s most prominent urbanists, architects and designers to help explore the importance of public gathering places, and benefits that a grand gathering space – like Times Square in New York, Trafalgar Square in London, or Piazza Navona in Rome – might have for Vancouver.
Our guests for the evening are:
- Lance Berelowitz, Principal, Urban Forum Associates and author of Dream City: Vancouver and the Global Imagination
- Cornelia Hahn Oberlander, Canada’s preeminent landscape architect and one of the creative forces behind Expo 67, Robson Square and the National Gallery of Canada
- Bing Thom, Principal, Bing Thom Architects, and recipient of the Order of Canada
Please be sure to join us for this very exciting evening – and the rare chance to see three of the country’s foremost thinkers on design and the public realm.
The launch event takes place in the Alice MacKay room of the Vancouver Public Library, 350 West Georgia Street. Please arrive before 7:00 to ensure that you get a seat.