Emily Carr University of Art + Design (ECUAD), one of Canada’s premier fine arts post-secondary institutions, has been an anchor tenant at Vancouver’s Granville Island for more than 30 years. In 2013, the Province of British Columbia announced that it would facilitate the construction of a new campus for ECUAD at Great Northern Way in Vancouver, involving the movement of this important institution from Granville Island. The buildings occupied by Emily Carr comprise more than 20% of the built area on the Island. In anticipation of this significant change, Canada Mortgage and Housing (CMHC) retained CitySpaces through a competition to assist in the preparation of a Repurposing Study forthe ECUAD Buildings.
CitySpaces led a team that included DA Architects and the Altus Group in developing a concept plan for the repurposing of the ECUAD buildings aimed at retaining the vitality and cultural authenticity that ECUAD currently brings to Granville Island.
The Emily Carr University of Art + Design at Granville Island Building Repurposing Study was developed in consultation with Granville Island tenants, key informants, and members of CMHC Granville Island Trust, Granville Island management and staff. This input helped identify key guiding planning principles and preferred uses for the buildings. An architectural analysis of the buildings and site provided an understanding of the current functioning of the buildings and adjacent areas, as well as the specific issues and opportunities entailed by these current conditions. Market analysis was also conducted to help understand the financial implications of various potential building reuse scenarios.
In response to the findings emerging from the project consultation and analysis, CitySpaces developed a strategy that would see the repurposed ECUAD buildings become a major public destination for arts and cultural production, education and innovation, as well as a destination for artisanal food and live music.
Click here to read the Emily Carr University of Art + Design at Granville Island Building Repurposing Study.
PROJECT TEAM:
Gwyn Symmons Shelley Gadsden Palmer
Drawing credits: DA Architects