herzog & de meuron to complete new vancouver art gallery

herzog & de meuron to complete new vancouver art gallery
image courtesy of the vancouver art gallery

herzog & de meuron have been chosen to design vancouver art gallery‘s new museum building – the swiss firm’s first project in canada. the collection’s expanded home will be located at larwill park, at the southern edge of the city’s downtown district. selected ahead of four other established names – diller scofidio + renfro, KPMB architects, SANAA and tod williams billie tsien architects – the brief called for an urban plan housing a range of different programs across the entire city block.

the 300,000 square foot (27,871 square meter) proposal will more than double the gallery’s existing floor space, enabling the museum to expand its program and better serve its growing audience. the design will also feature: a 300-seat auditorium for lectures, films classes and art performances, a larger gallery store, a variety of food services, collection storage and conservation labs configured to house and protect the institution’s growing archive. it is forecast that the vancouver art gallery will reveal conceptual designs for the scheme in early 2015.

unanimously selected by the project’s selection committee, herzog & de meuron are involved with a number of cultural institutions including the ‘M+ museum‘ in hong kong and the recently completed ‘perez art museum‘ in miami.

photo by melissa baker / courtesy of the vancouver art gallery

‘a new, expanded vancouver art gallery will build the city’s creative economy and give local artists exposure to a broader audience,’ said mayor gregor robertson. ‘congratulations to herzog & de meuron, who will be creating this important new cultural space in our downtown.’

‘we are thrilled to be working with herzog & de meuron and to be the first to bring their incredible talent to canada. our new gallery will be a vital and dynamic resource for vancouver, one that engages and welcomes artists and visitors from the region and from around the world,’ continued said kathleen s. bartels, gallery director. ‘throughout the selection process, herzog & de meuron demonstrated a deep commitment to and respect for the rich history and unique spirit of the gallery, our community, and our surrounding natural and urban environment. our new purpose-built home will embrace the rich diversity of our community and serve as a nexus for cross-cultural dialogue and exchange.’

see designboom’s previous coverage of the ‘new vancouver art gallery’ here.