Latest Aberration for West 7th and Arbutus to be Rubber Stamped by Council on Oct 31st

Stigmatization or speaking your truth - you be the judge

Architecture firm Human Studio and City of Vancouver planning staff have yet another iteration of the single occupancy building for the homeless with mental health and addiction issues.

Thankfully, this is facing the Arbutus Greenway and not the elementary school and daycare:

A long, long time ago, before our eldest ancestors walked these lands.

There were beings who brought magic from the universe.

Through portals that connect us.

Sent as caretakers and instructors.

Some from the skies and some from the seas.

Some from the rocks and some from the trees.

But then some us sent back to do the work again.

Because this is our way.

It sort of sounds Indigenous. More like Scientology. Perhaps it’s Human Studio’s mission statement to get “sent back to the work again because this is our way.”

Maybe this speaks “world class city” to Mayor Ken Sim.

Personally, I wouldn’t put this on any building, and especially not on a building meant to house people with mental health issues.

I would like to know how much Human Studio has been paid to make all of these cosmetic changes again and again.

The building still has the vanity project of an open air courtyard with a single tree on the ground floor. The tree isn’t even an existing tree. It will be a newly planted honey locust.

Here are the changes over the past 2 1/2 years (yes, 2 1/2 years for a ‘housing emergency’):

The originally proposed look from February 2021

The November 2021 version with the metallic grill, which City staff nixed to make the building appear shorter.

The blue version came just in time for the June-July 2022 public hearing.

Then, the highly reflective white building with apparently dark blue painted brick on the northern podium for the June 2023 Development Permit Board application.

And now finally, in time for Halloween, a version that colour reflects the temporary modular buildings in Vancouver.

According to City staff, the southern vantage of the building will be the highlight for everyone transiting through the terminal subway station and bus loop.

Is this building an architectural highlight, a fitting gateway to Kitsilano and what else will come with the Broadway Plan? And for $64 million plus?

The building matches the limited vision that the City of Vancouver has and it’s getting progressively worse.