The design story 01
In the heart of downtown
The new park, which was a parking lot for over a decade, will be located in Vancouver’s downtown core. The area was once home to small shops but is now surrounded by condos and office towers.
Smithe and Richards Urban Park
A vibrant and inclusive space in downtown Vancouver- Location
- Vancouver, BC
- Client
- Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation
- Completion
- 2021
- Size
- 0 hectares
- 1 acres
- Collaborators
- Smith Bros. & Wilson
- DIALOG Services
- Architecture
- Landscape Architecture
- Mechanical Engineering
- Planning & Urban Design
- Structural Engineering
DIALOG has been working with the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation for several years to design this unique and highly innovative park, setting a new direction for park design in the city. It has emerged out of a fulsome dialogue between stakeholder groups, municipal government, and the designers that involved numerous engagement and needs assessment exercises. The end product is a dynamic concept that will serve downtown residents and visitors. This new park will bring green space to the city centre, as well as provide a place for people to gather, engage in social activities, enjoy an on-site café, and take in their surroundings from the pedestrian bridge.
…parks are expected to serve an ever-changing suite of needs. DIALOG has been able [come up with] a design that will serve the city for the coming decades.Tiina Mack, Manager of Park Development, Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation
It started with a sketch
An elevated walkway In the original design, an elevated walkway clearly defined the nature of the project, as did the sky frames and terraced spaces for a variety of user groups.
The design story 02
Defining the park
Engaging the community was the first step to creating the new park. The team had to determine diverse residents’ and stakeholders’ wants and needs for this important community place.
The design story 03
Pop-up engagement
The project team hosted several participation events over the life of the process, including a “pop-up park” to capture the input from passersby, and an interactive sandbox to capture the input from children. The end result was three different design concepts for the new park.
The design story 04
Taking stock of resources
A part of the planning process was looking at what facilities were already in place, including the proximity of other downtown parks.
The design story 05
Early concept model
This early model of the park illustrates some of the abstract concepts that came into play, including a path running from one end to the other.
The design story 06
Making the slope work
The site slopes more than 15’ from the north to south end, posing some interesting challenges for the design team. They addressed the slope with three flat terraced spaces.
The design story 07
Three sets of users
An upper terrace for socializing, a middle one as a childrens’ play area and a lower civic plaza all work together to make the new park a perfect urban gathering place.
The design story 08
Walking above it all
The elevated walkway is designed to carry people above the new park from one end of the site to the other, and provide a unique perspective over the park and on the downtown streetscape.
The design story 09
Sky frames for artwork
The sky frames march diagonally down the spine of the park. They allow for the framing of art pieces, banners, or lighting installations and provide a sense of ritual and celebration.
The design story 10
Stacking the layers
This model shows the different layers that make up the new park, along with their relationship to one another within the confines of the park boundaries. It also shows the evolution of the park from blank canvas to finished concept.
In real life
See people using this space
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