Chicago architecture firm, Design With’s winning submission for the 800 block of Robson Street summer pedestrian walkway.
Cingratulations to Chicago Architecture Firm, Design With , who have won the juried competition for the Summer 2015 pedestrian plaza at the 800 block of Robson Street in Vancouver with their entry ‘Porch Parade’. This marks the first time an international firm has won the competition.
Facing the regal steps of Vancouver’s art gallery, the winning design features a number of brightly coloured, connected porches. We love that the design will be furnished with items obtained from local yard sales and that the porches themselves will be donated to the Vancouver chapter of Habitat for Humanity at summer’s end. The exhibit is meant to showcase how porches sit at the centre of a city and ultimately enhance the connection of the city to people’s personal and leisure lives.
We love this concept and the thoughts that went into it. Front porches are a big part of life in urban places like Chicago and Toronto. They are another room that you can populate in the summer. Fostering community, front porches encourage safer neighbourhoods, helping people to get to know each other and watch out for intruders. We excited to see this concept coming to Vancouver and hope to see some of this thinking in neighbourhood planning. Way to go Design With!
Typical Toronto porch where Torontonians like to laze away hot summer days or evenings while chatting with neighbours.
