Perkins&Will Vancouver Reimagines Waterfront Station in speculative project
The re-imagining of the Waterfront Station precinct, in downtown Vancouver, blends the seamless integration of existing and future transit modes, with the creation of a vibrant public realm.
The speculation project by Perkins&Will Vancouver offers a vision of positive change that is boundaryless, equitable and inclusive. According to the firm, the goal of this study is to “stimulate debate focused upon the transformation of a site which has significant historic, symbolic, and logistical importance, and to speculate upon the manner in which its urban objectives are manifest with appropriate and heroic expression.”
“The Waterfront precinct is a location with a multitude of existing challenges, but is also a site of tremendous opportunity. The site is remarkable in that it connects rail, mass transit, aviation, and marine services (albeit in a chaotic fashion) within a single city block,” says Perkins&Will Vancouver.
The company’s research reveals Waterfront Station’s potential to be ‘super-modal’, however, connectivity between existing services is fragmentated resulting in poor user experience.
“Incremental aggregation of development, in the absence of a structured masterplan, has resulted in co-location rather than integration in respect to transit services. A confused attitude to the broader urban context has resulted in ambiguity rather than coherence, which has also negatively impacted the heritage value and cultural potential of the site.”
Perkins&Will Vancouver states that this study demonstrates that through the application of a well-defined design framework modal integration can be achieved in a manner that is legible and efficient.
The scheme will integrate all existing and future transit modes within a legible waterfront masterplan. Associated development opportunities shall blend commercial and cultural uses, enhance the public realm and create a destination that is symbolically appropriate.
The structure of the team’s proposal references design principles presented within the Arup Foresight publication, “Future Stations” (2020).
- Station boundaries should be porous to support greater access and use
- Stations should diversify beyond transport to embrace convenience
- Modes should be integrated, not just accommodated
- Excellent user experience should be universal
- Adaptable buildings and dynamic systems will maximize efficiency and resilience
- Station benefits will be environmental and social, not just economic
These principles ‘promote mode and service integration and speculate how stations will act as single simplified systems, while offering new mobility and logistics possibilities’.
Waterfront Station is the major inter-modal public transportation facility and main transit terminus in Vancouver. As a large scale urban transit node, Waterfront Station connects public transit, heavy rail, marine and air services.
Granville Street ends abruptly at Waterfront Station. The desire is that this city axis be given appropriate celebration and that the axis extend to the harbour, connecting the city to the water in a meaningful way.
The CPR connection of Vancouver to Canada east of the Rockies was the catalyst for the rapid development of the city.
The symbolic importance of this site as the generative centre of the city requires a formal response.
Potential Future High Speed Rail Line terminating at Waterfront Station in Vancouver: Vancouver; Seattle; Regional and Urban Context; Portland; Eugene.
The proposed location of the potential future High Speed Rail terminus at Waterfront Station has been an important consideration in determining a suitable site for this study.
The existing station is a vital intermodal interchange; the Canada and Expo skytrain lines connect the downtown core to Vancouver International Airport and provides suburban links to the city.
West Coast Express, a high capacity commuter service, seabus connection to the Northshore, adjacent heliport and cruise ship terminal at BC Place. BC Ferries are to run a Vancouver Nanaimo link from the marine terminal. Waterfront Station was the catalyst for the development of Vancouver with the downtown core growing out from this commercial nexus.
The historic and symbolic importance should be given appropriate and heroic expression.
The potential to fully integrate public connectivity through land, sea and air on such a significant site provides an opportunity of incredible consequence.
The entry to the west wing of the station and to the marine terminal was originally at grade with Granville and Cordova Street.
One of the most joyless aspects of the existing station is the abrupt juxtaposition of the development immediately west of the station building. A parkade entrance acts as the termination of one of the city’s most important promenades.
Station boundaries should be porous to support greater access and use: “We envision the extension of Granville Street through the site, blending seamlessly into the upper concourse level and creating direct visual connection to the water. Pedestrian and cycle connections are introduced from Canada Place to the new public parks and amenities along the revived waterfront.”
This site creates an opportunity to integrate diverse uses including cultural and civic programs. We imagine the site accommodating functions such as the Canadian Centre for the Moving Image, Vancouver Arts Theatre and the Central City visitor centre, as well as a rich variety of commercial and recreational uses. The precinct will conveniently connect Gas Town to the waterfront through the introduction of new pedestrian and cycle bridges from the Cordova Street plaza, and an extension of Cambie Street.
“As part of a simplified system, we envision the integration of Skytrain lines into a single nodal interchange. Our schematic vision safeguards a potential high speed rail connection within a terminus providing both intracity and inter-provincial rail services, with grade connections to mass transit, marine services a new Skyport and personal and autonomous mobility services.”
Perkins&Will Vancouver’s proposition for Waterfront Station will be user-centric with a high level of service. The firm further states that the creation of generous open, day-lit concourses, characterized by spatial continuity, will facilitate legible orientation and intuitive way-finding.
“The precinct will become a destination, providing a wide range of functions beyond those associated specifically with transit, a vital aspect of city life, reflecting its central location within the downtown core.”
A passive first approach is a guiding principle of the proposal. The station is imagined as a covered outdoor space, its extensive roof optimized for renewable energy generation. The precinct will be carbon positive, with extensive utilization of mass timber construction.
Meaningful conservation of the historic and symbolically important station building will promote the concept of ‘living heritage’.
Section through Granville Street illustrates both Granville and track concourse levels that are unified under an open daylight lightweight structure.
- Air-rights Mixed-use Development
- Skyport
Passenger drones
Delivery drones
- Vertical winter gardens
- Precinct Canopy Power Plant
- Granville Street Main Concourse
- Skyport
Passenger drones
Delivery drones
- Heritage building
In-town check-in
Hotel
- Civic, cultural hub
500,000 ft²
- Waterfront Track Level Concourse
- High speed rail
Cascadia terminal
- Electrical rail services
West coast express
- Skytrain
Canada line (YVR)
Expo line (suburban)
- Marine terminal
Sea bus
Ferries
Water taxis
- Water Street road
Autonomous vehicle centre
- Logistics Centre
E-vehicles
Personal mobility
Autonomous delivery
- Baggage handling
- Park
“The station of the future is no longer a liminal space, but one that is integrated into the urban and cultural fabric of an increasingly complex public realm. We believe that our vision demonstrates the extraordinary potential of the Waterfront precinct. Through the realization of this potential Waterfront precinct will be central to the reimagining of our city.”
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