Latest news with #HenriquezPartnersArchitects
Cision Canada
20-05-2025
- Science
- Cision Canada
HENRIQUEZ PARTNERS EXHIBITS AT THE VENICE BIENNALE "SYMPLASMA"
VANCOUVER, BC, May 20, 2025 /CNW/ - Symplasma is the newest exhibition at the Venice Biennale, by Henriquez Partners Architects, the Canadian architecture firm known for both its complex, mixed-use developments and its advocacy of architects as leaders in the creation of inclusive cities. Presented as part of the European Cultural Centre's exhibition TIME SPACE EXISTENCE at Palazzo Bembo, Symplasma explores resilience, adaptation and sustainability through architecture inspired by one of nature's most enduring animals: the glass sea sponge. Throughout our existence, humans have taken inspiration from the natural world, using technology to mimic what nature has created through millions of years of evolution. In this era of environmental crisis, where our actions directly threaten both the natural world and our own existence, we must also look to nature to build structures and cities that actively address sustainability pragmatically and express it poetically. Drawing from the 2025 Biennale theme " Intelli/Gens", Symplasma is inspired by the rare and ancient Hexactinellid sea sponge – its resilience, function and ability to survive and continue its integral role in our ocean's ecosystem. Glass sea sponge habitats pertain to both Vancouver, where reefs currently adorn the coast of North America's Pacific Northwest, and to Venice during the Paleozoic period around the ancient Tethys Sea. By merging the biological wisdom of glass sea sponges with the historical lessons embedded in Venice's urban fabric, Symplasma envisions new paradigms of resilience: structures that do not resist nature but instead move with it, harnessing energy from the sun, wind, and earth as they adapt. In doing so, it reframes Venice as both a cautionary tale and a beacon of possibility—an evolving city that, like Calvino's imagined worlds, continues to reinvent itself in response to forces beyond its control. Henriquez, in collaboration with ARUP, explore a climate crisis narrative that takes inspiration from the natural, historical and cultural surroundings. The exhibition features monumentally scaled, 3-D printed glass sea sponge sculptures, visual interventions inspired by Canaletto's paintings, and a proposal for Vancouver's first 'supertall' towers. The Vancouver towers take their inspiration aesthetically and functionally from the glass sea sponge by incorporating structural and sustainable strategies that minimizes their carbon footprint and achieves net zero carbon in its operation. A continuous diagrid structure allows the building to address lateral and gravity loads simultaneously and geoexchange, photovoltaics, and air source heat exchange eliminate the need for carbon intensive energy sources. Complementing the Vancouver project is an allegorical project in Venice which proposes to introduce new constructed metaphorical 'glass sponges' or 'Sustainability Machines', to Venice, structures that use nature to sustainably harness, store and distribute energy and are represented in the context of Canaletto's timeless paintings. Venice has been a muse for generations of artists and thinkers - suggesting a city suspended between material reality and dreamlike possibility, a space where history, water, and time intertwine. It also has a history of bold responses to crisis: the great plague churches, such as Santa Maria della Salute, were acts of both spiritual devotion and architectural ingenuity, built as symbols of resilience in the face of catastrophe. Today, as both cities confront the existential threat of climate change, these historical responses take on new meaning. The climate crisis, like the plagues of the past, demands a reckoning, not just with survival, but with transformation. The exhibition is now on display at the European Cultural Centre exhibition TIME SPACE EXISTENCE, at Palazzo Bembo near the Rialto Bridge as part of the Venice Biennale, May 10—November 23, 2025. About Henriquez Partners: Henriquez Partners Architects is a Canadian architectural studio, based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Led by Gregory Henriquez and his belief that architecture has the potential to be a poetic expression of social justice, the studio seeks to re-examine the role of ethics, activism, and critical commentary in architectural practice. Henriquez Partners seeks to re-establish the role of the architect as one of leadership in the creation of the collective space that form the fabric of our daily lives and communities. Henriquez is now best known for inclusive zoning within mixed-use projects. The Woodward's redevelopment, completed in 2011, in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, remains unprecedented in Canada due to its scale, humanitarian aspirations and complexity. Since then, the studio's socially, culturally and environmentally sustainable projects continue to have a major impact on shaping local communities. Current large-scale mixed-use projects include the 5.0 million ft² Oakridge Redevelopment in Vancouver, in addition to three major projects in Toronto: 1.0 million ft² Mirvish Village in Toronto, and 800,000 ft² affordable housing with CreateTO at 5207 Dundas St W - both currently under construction, as well as 1.0 million ft² CreateTO & Co-op Federation of Toronto.
The Province
13-05-2025
- Business
- The Province
Major skyscraper proposal prompts debate about Vancouver's evolving skyline
Dan Fumano: The evolution of Vancouver's skyline is on the minds of many locals, after a developer unveiled a proposal last week for three huge towers that would transform the downtown peninsula An illustration showing Holborn Group's proposed development that includes four towers at two different sites in downtown Vancouver. - Submitted image: Holborn Group / Henriquez Partners Architects Photo by Ian Kobylanski Holborn Group / When Vancouver's Marine Building was completed on Burrard Street in 1930, it was derided by some as a 'modern monstrosity.' At nearly 100 metres tall, it towered over everything around it. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Now revered as an art deco gem, the 19-storey Marine Building is today dwarfed by neighbouring glass skyscrapers. The evolution of Vancouver's skyline is on the minds of many, after a developer unveiled a proposal last week for three skyscrapers that would transform the downtown peninsula. The towers, designed by Henriquez Partners Architects, are being pitched by developer Holborn Group for a parcel of almost two whole downtown blocks. In illustrations of the proposed buildings, they stand out both by virtue of their size and shape. At 239, 271 and 315 metres, they dwarf most neighbouring buildings, including recently built towers. The 315-metre hotel would be B.C.'s tallest tower, 55 per cent taller than Vancouver's tallest existing skyscraper, the Shangri-La. The three towers feature a distinct, curving design, with a 'sculptural exoskeleton' which the architect says are inspired by the rare and ancient glass sea sponge reefs found off the B.C. coast. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'It is worth talking about because city skylines are symbolic,' Michael Geller, an urban planner and retired architect, said. 'That's not to say that this particular proposal shouldn't go ahead. I don't have any views one way or the other on this proposal, but I do feel that it is time to have a discussion about the relative importance of the appearance in the city, whether it's the skyline or just the look of new buildings,' Geller said. 'I think this is prompting what will hopefully be a conversation, so we can hear what people think about the skyline.' The Marine Building at 355 Burrard Street in 2016 Photo by RICHARD LAM / PNG Geller pointed to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, which was hated by many when first unveiled in 1889, but went on to become the city's internationally renowned — and beloved — landmark. Back in the 1990s, Vancouverites were complaining that the city's skyline was 'flat, uninteresting and dominated by 1970s bank towers,' Vancouver Sun reporter Frances Bula reported in 1997. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. City council hired consultant Ray Spaxman, who had been Vancouver's director of planning from 1973 to 1989, to complete a 'downtown Vancouver skyline study.' Spaxman said he recalls discussions about how the city's skyline should — or should not — change, dating back to the 1970s. Cities around the world have to grapple with various versions of this question, Spaxman said. In European cities, for example, building heights might be limited to preserve views of a historic cathedral, he said. 'Each community sort of looks at its assets and says: 'How do we want to allow development to occur around what we consider our assets?'' Spaxman said. For Vancouver, he said, some of its most important 'assets from prehistoric times' are the mountains to the north of the city and the views of them. Illustrations showing a development proposed for downtown Vancouver, from Holborn Group and designed by Henriquez Partners Architects. Photo by Norm Li Coming out of Spaxman's study, city staff recommended increasing building height limits in the central business district to 183 metres from 137 metres, while still ensuring building heights would not intrude into protected view corridors, including those of the North Shore mountains. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Over the following decades, the city continued to update its 'higher buildings policy.' A big recent change under the current ABC-majority council was to loosen the rules protecting some public views, including mountain vistas. This paved the way for taller buildings on Holborn's Georgia site, as well as other major proposed development sites such as the former Expo lands. Former Vancouver city planner Michael Gordon helped lead the city staff work on the skyline study in the 1990s. Gordon said it will be important to see more illustrations of how Holborn's proposal would alter the skyline before offering an opinion on the project. This consideration matters, he said, because one thing that makes Vancouver special is how its built form connects with its natural setting. 'Really, the skyline is three lines. It's the water's edge, it's the line of when you connect the dots of the buildings, and then it's the mountain ridges. … There's a balance between the three lines, and you've got to be careful,' Gordon said. 'It's a Zen thing.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Illustrations showing a development proposed for downtown Vancouver, from Holborn Group and designed by Henriquez Partners Architects Photo by Norm Li Gordon has heard, over the years, from people who say: 'There's no view crisis, there's no heritage crisis, there's no shadow crisis, there's a housing crisis.' The argument is that those other considerations should not prevent tall buildings that contribute significantly to the supply of homes, or hotel rooms, or other priorities. Gordon is not so sure. 'As Joni Mitchell sang: 'You don't know what you've got 'till it's gone,'' Gordon said. 'I'm not on board with just saying: 'It's a housing crisis, let's just let 'er rip.'' Vancouver architect James Cheng has had a hand in shaping the city's skyline, designing some of its tallest buildings including the Shangri-La (200 metres) and the Stack office building (162 metres). Cheng said he is not interested in superficial 'beauty pageant' discussions about which big buildings are attractive or not, or how tall they should be. He does, however, spend a lot of time thinking about what he calls 'the role of highrises in Vancouver in historic, social, cultural, economic, and artistic terms, as a barometer of our city's health.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Some people may be nostalgic for the way Vancouver's skyline looked before Expo in 1986 and the ensuing development boom. But, Cheng says: 'If we do not have an evolving skyline, it's a barometer showing our economic health is weakening. … highrises will not happen if there is no economic justification for it.' 'The downtown skyline is the crown jewel. And that has to constantly be polished.' dfumano@ Read More Sports Vancouver Canucks News Sports National
Vancouver Sun
13-05-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
Major skyscraper proposal prompts debate about Vancouver's evolving skyline
When Vancouver's Marine Building was completed on Burrard Street in 1930, it was derided by some as a 'modern monstrosity.' At nearly 100 metres tall, it towered over everything around it. Now revered as an art deco gem, the 19-storey Marine Building is today dwarfed by neighbouring glass skyscrapers. The evolution of Vancouver's skyline is on the minds of many, after a developer unveiled a proposal last week for three skyscrapers that would transform the downtown peninsula. The towers, designed by Henriquez Partners Architects, are being pitched by developer Holborn Group for a parcel of almost two whole downtown blocks. A daily roundup of Opinion pieces from the Sun and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Informed Opinion will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. In illustrations of the proposed buildings, they stand out both by virtue of their size and shape. At 239, 271 and 315 metres, they dwarf most neighbouring buildings, including recently built towers. The 315-metre hotel would be B.C.'s tallest tower, 55 per cent taller than Vancouver's tallest existing skyscraper, the Shangri-La. The three towers feature a distinct, curving design, with a 'sculptural exoskeleton' which the architect says are inspired by the rare and ancient glass sea sponge reefs found off the B.C. coast. 'It is worth talking about because city skylines are symbolic,' Michael Geller, an urban planner and retired architect, said. 'That's not to say that this particular proposal shouldn't go ahead. I don't have any views one way or the other on this proposal, but I do feel that it is time to have a discussion about the relative importance of the appearance in the city, whether it's the skyline or just the look of new buildings,' Geller said. 'I think this is prompting what will hopefully be a conversation, so we can hear what people think about the skyline.' Geller pointed to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, which was hated by many when first unveiled in 1889, but went on to become the city's internationally renowned — and beloved — landmark. Back in the 1990s, Vancouverites were complaining that the city's skyline was 'flat, uninteresting and dominated by 1970s bank towers,' Vancouver Sun reporter Frances Bula reported in 1997. City council hired consultant Ray Spaxman, who had been Vancouver's director of planning from 1973 to 1989, to complete a 'downtown Vancouver skyline study.' Spaxman said he recalls discussions about how the city's skyline should — or should not — change, dating back to the 1970s. Cities around the world have to grapple with various versions of this question, Spaxman said. In European cities, for example, building heights might be limited to preserve views of a historic cathedral, he said. 'Each community sort of looks at its assets and says: 'How do we want to allow development to occur around what we consider our assets?'' Spaxman said. For Vancouver, he said, some of its most important 'assets from prehistoric times' are the mountains to the north of the city and the views of them. Coming out of Spaxman's study, city staff recommended increasing building height limits in the central business district to 183 metres from 137 metres, while still ensuring building heights would not intrude into protected view corridors, including those of the North Shore mountains. Over the following decades, the city continued to update its ' higher buildings policy .' A big recent change under the current ABC-majority council was to loosen the rules protecting some public views, including mountain vistas. This paved the way for taller buildings on Holborn's Georgia site, as well as other major proposed development sites such as the former Expo lands. Former Vancouver city planner Michael Gordon helped lead the city staff work on the skyline study in the 1990s. Gordon said it will be important to see more illustrations of how Holborn's proposal would alter the skyline before offering an opinion on the project. This consideration matters, he said, because one thing that makes Vancouver special is how its built form connects with its natural setting. 'Really, the skyline is three lines. It's the water's edge, it's the line of when you connect the dots of the buildings, and then it's the mountain ridges. … There's a balance between the three lines, and you've got to be careful,' Gordon said. 'It's a Zen thing.' Gordon has heard, over the years, from people who say: 'There's no view crisis, there's no heritage crisis, there's no shadow crisis, there's a housing crisis.' The argument is that those other considerations should not prevent tall buildings that contribute significantly to the supply of homes, or hotel rooms, or other priorities. Gordon is not so sure. 'As Joni Mitchell sang: 'You don't know what you've got 'till it's gone,'' Gordon said. 'I'm not on board with just saying: 'It's a housing crisis, let's just let 'er rip.'' Vancouver architect James Cheng has had a hand in shaping the city's skyline, designing some of its tallest buildings including the Shangri-La (200 metres) and the Stack office building (162 metres). Cheng said he is not interested in superficial 'beauty pageant' discussions about which big buildings are attractive or not, or how tall they should be. He does, however, spend a lot of time thinking about what he calls 'the role of highrises in Vancouver in historic, social, cultural, economic, and artistic terms, as a barometer of our city's health.' Some people may be nostalgic for the way Vancouver's skyline looked before Expo in 1986 and the ensuing development boom. But, Cheng says: 'If we do not have an evolving skyline, it's a barometer showing our economic health is weakening. … highrises will not happen if there is no economic justification for it.' 'The downtown skyline is the crown jewel. And that has to constantly be polished.' dfumano@
Global News
08-05-2025
- Business
- Global News
New development pitched for downtown Vancouver would include B.C.'s tallest tower
A massive new development is being pitched for downtown Vancouver. The Holborn Group says the project is about an ambitious city building on currently underutilized land and would include supportive housing, a hotel and what would be B.C.'s tallest tower. The four towers, spanning three sites at 501 and 595 West Georgia and 399 Abbott St., would be designed by Henriquez Partners Architects, drawing inspiration from 'rare and ancient glass sea sponge reefs, whose ecological strength and resilience have shaped both form and structure.' The tallest tower — a stand-alone hotel — is proposed at 1,033 feet (315 metres) and would reference the skeletal lattice of sea sponges, according to the proposal. Three of the four towers would range from 783 to 1,033 feet (239 to 315 metres) on West Georgia Street, and a fourth tower at 402 feet (122 metres) on Abbott Street. Story continues below advertisement The fourth tower, which Holborn said would be gifted to the City of Vancouver, will contain 378 social housing units, including three artist-in-residence studios, a child-care centre and a public Indigenous Art Gallery. View image in full screen View of the proposed plaza at Seymour and West Georgia Streets. The Holborn Group 2:44 Vancouver council votes unanimously in favour of Jericho Lands megaproject In total, the development will create 1,939 new homes, a 920-room hotel, 70,130 square feet of conference space, Indigenous-led reconciliation through art and introduce significant public amenities across both sites. Story continues below advertisement At the top of the hotel tower, the project aims to include a publicly accessible observation deck designed by PFS Studio envisioned as a 'forest in the sky.' Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy In addition, the proposed 17,000-square-foot public plaza would connect West Georgia Street with retail and restaurant pavilions, programmed cultural space and Indigenous art. Musqueam artist Susan Point has been invited to transform the public plaza, interfacing the Randall Building into a site of storytelling through contemporary Indigenous expression. At Abbott, there would be a 5,150-square-foot Indigenous art gallery and community space, along with three artist-in-residence suites for the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh (MST), guided by consultant Gordon Grant. 'The project will showcase a genuine and informative act of Truth and Reconciliation,' said Grant. 'It will provide a platform for Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh artists to display a small piece of rich and powerful cultures that all of the Nations can be proud of.' Holborn has been trying to develop the area for eight years but the proposals have been rejected by city hall. This proposal was submitted to the City of Vancouver on May 2.
