OMG, How Beautiful is Vancouver

[Copper]

Shes a beaut.

[Copper]

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[ezcheese]

great pix. my gf has been there twice but i still haven't been yet. it really looks like a cool city.

[cmj2k5]

All of the same-looking residential buildings kill the skyline though.

[Zissou]

It looks like one big modern city. I agree that its skyline could use a little diversity but it is still damn impressive.

[Snowguy716]

It looks like one big modern city.  I agree that its skyline could use a little diversity but it is still damn impressive.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I guess while old architecture is very important, new cities don't have that heritage. The people that live in these new cities tend to want "modern" everything. That's why a man who loves Detroit for its architecture probably has no interest in Minneapolis... while someone who likes mirrored buildings and more modern architecture would love it.

My garbage is someone elses treasure, I guess.

Personally, I think Vancouver is a beautiful city. They are a shining example of what I wish more American cities could be. In a way, Vancouver reminds me of Hong Kong, China. (You wanna talk about dense.. I have some pictures that would blow your mind away.)

I think Minneapolis is really on a kick to make itself look like Vancouver. There is a striking urban movement in this country now, however.. and I think it's only a matter of time before cities begin to change. Even now they are striving to satisfy this appetite... I just hope that some cities can be good urban environments and still strive to keep the unique qualities that have made the city what it is.

[Nashvillain]

all the high rises have the same hoizontal lines in them. is there a bulding code or something?

[DigitalSky]

man, I wanna go to Vancouver now

[Zissou]

I didnt mean to come off as bashing Vancouver. Those shots are amazing and the city looks fantastic. And by diversity I didnt mean it as a knock that they dont have heritage or older buildings I was leaning more towards how every building has a similar look.

[CoreyPortlandME]

She's very photogenic.

[Garris]

The skyline is far more impressive in person than in photos. Vancouver is one of those cities for which photos don't do it justice. If I could live anywhere in North America, Vancouver would be it...

Regarding the horizontalness of the skyscrapers... I doubt this is a zoning thing as much as just the realities of residential skyscraper design. Vancouver is orders of magnitude more residential downtown than many US cities. If you look at photos of Asian cities in particular with dense residential construction, they look similar to this.

We've been having the same discussion in the Providence section of UP. Many of our upcoming skyscraper construction is residential and has a similar look. We're all used to the sleek glass boxes of commercial skyscrapers, and not the more uniform, busy style of residential skyscrapers in the US.

- Garris

Providence, RI

[Cotuit]

I'd love for one of our residential towers in Providence to look like this:

Maybe, 55 Broadway. David Brussat would have a stroke!

[Garris]

I'd love for one of our residential towers in Providence to look like this:

Maybe, 55 Broadway. David Brussat would have a stroke! 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

(For context of the joke for the non-Providence folk, David Brussat is a local architecture columnist who seems to believe that all good architecture ended with the construction of the colosseum in Rome and slams any modern architecture at all...)

I'd love to see that in Providence too... Vancouver has been at the center of this trend towards new tall, narrow residential skyscrapers to get the most bang for the buck out of limited real estate in dense spaces. I read somewhere that SF city planners recently went to Vancouver to study this since trend woudl be perfect for SF.

- Garris

[Chow]

The skyline is far more impressive in person than in photos.  Vancouver is one of those cities for which photos don't do it justice. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've been in Vancouver for the last three months and I have to say I disagree with the first statement. The truth is that Vancouver doesn't have much of a skyline. Due to the height limits and the way the condos are springing up from many views there is no focal point, no center. You just see the newer buildings that end up hiding the rest of the skyline. I know there are a couple of "landmark" towers in the works, which should help, but as a skyline Vancouver isn't that impressive.

But I agree with your second statement, no photos can ever do Vancouver justice. The city is something you have to experience. The sea air, the mountains, the parks, the people.