Proposed development at 1400 Howe. Architect: Bjarke Ingels

There’s an interesting lecture taking place this evening at SFU Harbour Centre – on the subject of tall buildings. This is a topic that gets both advocates and detractors passionate… and tonight’s event promises to be a good discussion.

It’s sponsored by the City of Vancouver’s Urban Design Panel. Here’s the official word, courtesy of a press release that was sent out yesterday:

Renowned architects participate in lecture and Urban Design Panel review of proposed highrise

Internationally recognized architects will discuss tall buildings and sustainable design at a public lecture and participate the next day in a special session of the Urban Design Panel to share their knowledge and expertise.

The free public lecture will feature architects Stefan Behnisch (Stuttgart) and Peter Clewes (Toronto) who will speak about their work and observations on sustainability and architectural excellence, particularly as they relate to taller buildings.

When: Tuesday, April 10 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Where: SFU Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings Street, 1400 Segal Room

Behnisch and Clewes will then join Vancouver architects Walter Francl and Mark Ostry and members of Vancouver’s Urban Design Panel for a technical review of a proposed highrise development at 1400 Howe Street at a special session of the panel.

The panel provides recommendations to Vancouver City Council and City staff on creating buildings that achieve the highest standards for sustainability and architectural excellence.

In 2011, Council approved a revised policy for high building proposals. Proposed buildings that significantly exceed existing height limits are subject to an enhanced review process which includes the addition of world-renowned architects to the Urban Design Panel.

The City continually reviews the design of tall buildings and their impact on the city skyline and designated public views, while considering development opportunities that advance sustainable design.

Here’s the media release on the subject:

Public information meeting on downtown building heights

The City of Vancouver is holding a public information meeting to provide details on two reports concerning downtown building heights that will be considered by City Council next week. The public meeting will be held on:

Monday, January 17 from 7 – 8:30 pm
(Presentation starts at 7 pm, followed by a question and answer session)
Empire Landmark Hotel
1400 Robson Street, Crystal Ballroom, Lobby Level

At the meeting, City staff will review the specifics of the Vancouver Views report, which protects public view corridors and looks at opportunities for limited higher buildings downtown that do not intrude into public view corridors.

Staff will also present information on the Historic Area Height Review report which implements Council’s decisions on building heights in specific areas of Gastown, Chinatown, Victory Square, and the Hastings and Main Street area.

City Council will consider the recommendations in the two reports at a Council meeting on January 20, which is open to the public.

More information on these reports is available online at vancouver.ca/views and vancouver.ca/hahr

Media contact:
Corporate Communications
604.871.6336
media@vancouver.ca

“I voted” sticker – Photo by Cave Canem

Next week promises to be a busy one at Council – between the regular session of Council on Tuesday and the various Council Committee meetings taking place on Thursday there is a full suite of public space related activities. These include:

• A motion (see below) on the possibility of on-line voting (Tues)
• A motion on calculating available density in the city (Tues)
• A report on expanding street food options (Thurs)
• A report on noise in the city and the efficacy of the noise bylaw (Thurs)
• Discussion on the VAG move (which we mentioned in our previous post) (Thurs)
• Two presentations – likely quite contentious – on building heights and view-related issues (Thurs)
• The draft Greenest City Implementation Plan (Thurs)

The first is particularly timely. Earlier this week a suite of contenders for the leadership of the BC liberals endorsed (some cautiously) the idea of on-line voting. And here’s a chance to consider it at the local level.

For those that have difficulty scheduling a trip to the neighbourhood voting box once every three or four years, this might make life easier. There’s a larger discussion to be had about civic engagement here – and, as much as we like technology, we can’t help wonder if this will do much to get at the core issues behind current voting levels. Then again, if it does a better job of getting residents engaged with the civic contest, that’s a positive outcome.

Either way, it’s an interesting motion and we’re be watching to see the sort of exchange that ensues.

Here’s the text of the motion, which was introduced by Councillor Andrea Reimer:

WHEREAS

1. Less than 35% of eligible voters in Vancouver cast ballots in the last two
civic elections;

2. Voter turnout is considered an important indicator of social cohesion
and vital to a healthy democracy;

3. Research conducted by Elections Canada on voter turn out in the last
federal election found that 57% of non-voters cited time pressures that
prevented them from getting to a voting place in person;

4. Elections Canada will be conducting an online voting pilot in the 2013
federal election;

5. Online voting can greatly improve accessibility by increasing the time
and place options available to voters to cast a ballot;

6. Online voting is used in more than three dozen Canadian municipalities ranging from 44 municipalities in Ontario, such as Markham, ON which piloted online voting in 2003, to Halifax, Nova Scotia which conducted successful pilots in a 2008 general election and 2009 by-election;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City Clerk report to Council on the feasibility of conducting an online voting pilot in the 2011 municipal elections or, if 2011 is not feasible, what the earliest date for a pilot would be.