CITY BUILT FOR CHANGE

VANCOUVER, ADAPTABLE BUILDFORM

Vancouver  is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower
Mainland region of Britis colombia . The third-largest metropolitan area in Canada. 

Vancouver is consistently named as one of the

top five worldwide cities for livability and
quality of life, and the Economist Intelligence

Unit acknowledged it as the first city ranked

among the top ten of the world's most well-
living cities for ten consecutive years. 

However, Vancouver also ranks as the most

expensive city to live in Canada and as the
fourth-most expensive housing market
globally. 

In 2011, the city planned to become

the greenest city in the world by 2020. 

Vancouverism is the city's urban

planning design philosophy.
 • To address both "why" and "how to" nurture the City of Vancouver with buildings
and public realm that are built for change, that is, to design and build with
adaptability.

• To define the current adaptability obstacles and resistance to change, and how
"city built for change" principles will address these issues.
• To engage all stakeholders in the discovery process of built for change solutions.
• To define the desired end products to aid in the development of a city built for
change.

Adaptability Questions
• How do we build a city with resilience rather than with obsolescence?
• Why is city adaptability important?
• What is the Vancouver solution to build for change? And why is it so important for
this city?
• How can we encourage innovation and go beyond what is already being done in
Vancouver?
EVOLUTION:
Vancouver was originally named Gastown and began as a settlement which
grew around the site of a makeshift tavern on the western edges
of Hastings Mill
The city was renamed "Vancouver" in 1886, through a deal with the Canadian
Pacific Railway (CPR).
The Canadian Pacific transcontinental railway was extended to the city by 1887. 
The city's large natural seaport on the Pacific Ocean became a vital link in the
trade between Asia-Pacific, East Asia, Europe, and Eastern Canada
Vancouver is well known as an urban centre surrounded by nature, making 
tourism its second-largest industry

Vancouverism
Vancouverism combines deep respect for nature with enthusiasm for busy,
engaging, active streets and dynamic urban life.
Vancouverism means tall slim towers for density, widely separated by low-rise
buildings, for light, air, and views.
It means many parks, walkable streets, and public spaces, combined with an
emphasis on sustainable forms of transit.
URBAN PLANNING
Urban planning in Vancouver is characterized by high-rise residential and mixed-use
development in urban centres, as an alternative to sprawl. As part of the larger Metro
Vancouver region, it is influenced by the policy direction of livability as illustrated in
Metro Vancouver's Regional Growth Strategy.

As of 2019, Vancouver has been ranked as having the third-highest quality of living of
any city on Earth. In contrast, according to Forbes, Vancouver had the fourth-most
expensive real estate market in the world in 2019. Vancouver has also been ranked
among Canada's most expensive cities to live in. Sales in February 2016 were 56.3%
higher than the 10-year average for the month. Forbes also ranked Vancouver as the
tenth-cleanest city in the world in 2007.

Vancouver's characteristic approach to urban planning originated in the late 1950s,

when city planners began to encourage the building of high-rise residential towers in
Vancouver's West End, subject to strict requirements for setbacks and open space to
protect sight lines and preserve green space. The success of these dense but liveable
neighbourhoods led to the redevelopment of urban industrial sites, such as North False
Creek and Coal Harbour, beginning in the mid-1980s. The result is a compact urban core
that has gained international recognition for its "high amenity and 'livable'
development". In 2006, the city launched a planning initiative entitled EcoDensity, with
the stated goal of exploring ways in which "density, design, and land use can contribute
to environmental sustainability, affordability, and livability"
Sustainability
• Electricity used in Vancouver is generated using sustainable resources such
as hydroelectric power.
• The city benefits from being located close to the mountains as
hydroelectric generating stations provide 93 percent of the electricity by
using falling water without emitting any greenhouse gases or polluting the
air.
•  The city is also actively working towards becoming a greener city. The City
of Vancouver has crafted an action plan of goals it has set to meet by 2020,
including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, encouraging the growth of
green jobs and businesses, requiring green construction, and reducing
waste.
• In May 2018, the Zero Waste 2040 Strategy passed Vancouver's city
council. The city began work the same year on decreasing the amount of
single-use items distributed in the city, and has stated its intention to ban
these items in 2021 if businesses don't meet reduction targets. As part of
the plan, a ban on plastic straws, polystyrene food packaging and free
shopping bags will go into effect during mid-2019
Transportation
•  In 2012, Vancouver had the worst traffic congestion in Canada and the second-
highest in North America, behind Los Angeles. As of 2013, Vancouver now has the
worst traffic congestion in North America.
• Residents have been more inclined to live in areas closer to their interests, or use
more energy-efficient means of travel, such as mass transit and cycling.
• Transportation demand management policies have imposed restrictions on
drivers making it more difficult and expensive to commute while introducing
more benefits for non-drivers
• It provides bus service, including
the RapidBus express service, a foot passenger and
bicycle ferry service , an automated rapid transit
service called SkyTrain, and West Coast
Express commuter rail.
Principles for an Adaptable City

1. A Flexible Public Realm

2.  Adaptable Building
3.  Responsive Public Policy
4. Open Public Discussion
5. The Economy of Adaptability