Vancouver Arts Hub

Case Study: Facility Planning

Vancouver Arts Hub

Location: Vancouver, WA | AMS Team: Bill Blake, Amy Ben-Kiki, Yuwen Shen

The City of Vancouver, Washington had successfully developed a new regional library facility, designed to meet contemporary standards and community needs. However, this exciting milestone left vacant the original space, a 70 year-old building with great potential. Knowing that Vancouver’s creative communities had long sought space to make and share their art, the City sought expert counsel to help figure out how the old Fort Vancouver Regional Library could be reimagined.

The Challenge

City staff partnered with AMS, as well as our collaborators at Opsis Architecture and Framework Cultural Placemaking, to define stakeholder needs, match those needs with potential building uses, and map out an operating structure.

Vancouver Arts Hub

Location: Vancouver, WA | AMS Team: Bill Blake, Amy Ben-Kiki, Yuwen Shen

The City of Vancouver, Washington had successfully developed a new regional library facility, designed to meet contemporary standards and community needs. However, this exciting milestone left vacant the original space, a 70 year-old building with great potential. Knowing that Vancouver’s creative communities had long sought space to make and share their art, the City sought expert counsel to help figure out how the old Fort Vancouver Regional Library could be reimagined.

The Challenge

City staff partnered with AMS, as well as our collaborators at Opsis Architecture and Framework Cultural Placemaking, to define stakeholder needs, match those needs with potential building uses, and map out an operating structure.

Our Approach

AMS worked closely with the City of Vancouver, Opsis, and Framework to understand all the ways in which the greater Vancouver community envisioned activating cultural space. We used a wide range of techniques to create “guiding principles” that would inform project development and delivery.

Gather community input

0

stakeholder interviews

0

complete community survey responses

0

stakeholder interviews

0

complete community survey responses

Match need with opportunity

12 comparable case studies
4 guiding principles to drive project development
4 primary uses: classes, rental, studio, retail

Match need with opportunity

12 comparable case studies
4 guiding principles to drive project development
4 primary uses: classes, rental, studio, retail

Develop a realistic, robust operating plan

480 classes envisioned
100 day camp sessions
296 rental use days
100 paying members

Develop a realistic, robust operating plan

480 classes envisioned
100 day camp sessions
296 rental use days
100 paying members

AMS was a valued collaborator on the Vancouver Arts Hub feasibility study providing stakeholder engagement, comparative facility benchmarking, and the operational analysis needed to guide the client to the right outcome for their community.”

Jim Kalvelage FAIA, LEED AP BD+C, Founding Principal, Opsis

Our Solution

We worked with the City and our partners at Opsis Architecture and Framework Cultural Placemaking to engage diverse stakeholders in imagining, and detailing, how an arts hub would work.

Our research revealed a depth of need for visual arts spaces, especially space for people to make and learn about making art in lots of different mediums.

The guiding principles and operating plan both prioritize meeting visual arts space needs, responding to community concerns and staying within the physical parameters of the building.

We supported City staff in delivering critical updates to Vancouver City Council – check out the recording here.

We worked with the City and our partners at Opsis Architecture and Framework Cultural Placemaking to engage diverse stakeholders in imagining, and detailing, how an arts hub would work.

Our research revealed a depth of need for visual arts spaces, especially space for people to make and learn about making art in lots of different mediums.

The guiding principles and operating plan both prioritize meeting visual arts space needs, responding to community concerns and staying within the physical parameters of the building.

We supported City staff in delivering critical updates to Vancouver City Council – check out the recording here.

Adapting and reusing buildings is an essential part of any city’s work. Being a responsible steward of today’s resources for tomorrow’s residents, businesses, and visitors is critical. How can you make sure that your adaptive reuse plans reflect creative community needs? Contact AMS today to discuss how we can help.

Contact AMS today to talk about how we can co-design a process that delivers a plan – and a meaningful experience for every stakeholder involved in making it.