Redefining Urban Water: Land Art Pavilions Along Vancouver’s Abandoned Olympic Line

Abstract

In urban areas like Vancouver, high precipitation levels are often viewed as both excess and disposable. North American city infrastructures prioritize diverting water away from sight, presenting ongoing challenges for architects amidst the push for denser cities. Moreover, prevailing perceptions often view water solely as an ecological burden, overlooking its atmospheric and ritualistic significance.

The Abandoned Olympic line serves as a testing ground for a notional street concept diverging from conventional typologies. The Land Art Pavilions, strategically positioned along the rail line, utilize gutters and storage tanks to interact with the landscape, ultimately reshaping the terrain and existing infrastructure. This approach fosters symbiotic growth for humans and ecosystems, upholds cultural permanence, and recognizes water as a transformative medium.

Redirecting water flow towards Discovery Park near the Cambie bridge, these pavilions create ephemeral pathways, reimagining Vancouver’s urban fabric and raising awareness about environmental stewardship.