VANCOUVER — After deciding late last year it was not going ahead with a planned design for its new home and was cutting ties with the former architect, the Vancouver Art Gallery is now moving forward with a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a select group of Canadian-based architecture firms to submit design ideas.
Construction costs ballooned for the former design from $400 to $600 million, leading the art gallery to part ways with Swiss architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron. Work at the site was paused.
According to a statement on the gallery’s website, on Jan. 22 the board of trustees passed a motion for the RFP.
“This decision marks a significant milestone in our journey. Our goal is to create a new building that celebrates art in all its forms and is emblematic both of our country and our mission, but that also prioritizes achievability, practicality and fiscal responsibility,” the statement reads. “Inherent in this choice is a careful assessment of how we can engage our community in meaningful ways; build within our means and realize a new gallery that reflects Canada’s extraordinary architectural talent.”
A timeline was not specifically stated for the RFP.
The new art gallery was supposed to be opened in 2028, and fundraising efforts raised more than $350 million for the project by August 2024.
Officials had previously said the first stage of pre-construction has been completed.
— With files from The Canadian Press
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