This thesis addresses the question of how a dialogue may be developed between the socio-political notion of
pluralism and a pluralistic public sphere, and the design of public space and public architecture. More
particularly, it considers how architecture may both accommodate multiple publics while simultaneously
framing connection or association between them. Following an exploration of this question at an abstract,
theoretical level, the thesis moves to a more specific architectural investigation. This investigation takes the
form of a design project situated within the Robson Square complex in downtown Vancouver. The complex,
constructed in the mid-1970's, was designed by Canada's pre-eminent architect Arthur Erickson and is the
major civic space in the city. The thesis design project undertakes a theoretical re-evaluation and physical
renovation of this Utopian mega-structure, with the intention of shifting the existing homogeneity and
institutionality of the complex to align it with the thesis argument.
Through the vehicle of a design project,, the abstract theoretical argument is translated and focused through the
particularities of an architecture embedded in its site. This methodology requires the project to address issues
connected to the existing masterwork, including: the question of how to conceptualize monumentally in a grid
city; the relationship between the 'sacred' space of the civic circumstance and the 'profane' space of the street
and commercial program; the form of the institution within the city; and the issue of working within, and
manipulating, a pre-existing architectural language. Further, the scale of the site is reflected in the scope of the
design project. The project moves from the development of urban design strategies to the detailed consideration
of the material and construction of the different interventions. The architecture remains, however, conceptual
and is a demonstration of how the developed strategies may generate form and guide program. The
project does not attempt to fully develop a building in detail.
The thesis concludes with an afterword on the success of the project as a demonstration of the thesis argument.
At the same time, the limits of architecture to act as a socio-political device are acknowledged. Further,
speculations are made as to the way in which the position and the strategies developed within the thesis might
inform wider discussions on architecture and the urbanism of grid cities such as Vancouver. The key concept
forming the basis of these speculations is the idea of a 'difficult' co-existence of parts and a whole, reflecting
the pluralistic ideal of association within fragmentation.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:BVAU.2429/5810 |
| Date | 09 March 2009 |
| Creators | Bligh, Christopher Graham |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Relation | UBC Retrospective Theses Digitization Project [http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/retro_theses/] |
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