Millennium Water is the location of what is officially known as the "2010 Olympic and Paralympic Village Vancouver." It is a residential community developed on the southeastern banks of False Creek, initially to house 2,800 athletes and officials for the 2010 winter games, and then later to house as many as 16,000 Vancouverites when the project is completed.
Billed as "Vancouver's last waterfront community," Millennium Water is a large master-planned community of more than a dozen buildings encompassing condominiums, shops, restaurants, public spaces, and waterfront amenities. It was built on a former industrial shipyard.
The centerpiece of this project is a 30,000 square-foot community center and public square surrounding an interesting latticework pedestrian bridge arcing over Jervis Inlet from False Creek. The waterfront is also lined with decks and patios, planters and overlooks, walking, biking, and jogging paths, and even a few places where the woodwork has been arranged into built-in lounge chairs.
Part of the project entailed adding more than 2,100 feet to Vancouver's existing seawall in a unique horseshoe formation that includes granite cubes arranged in the shape of an amphitheater facing the new pedestrian bridge and the Vancouver skyline. Even before the facility was officially opened, we observed this to be a popular recreation facility frequented by canoodling couples, solitary readers, and the occasional pug walker taking her dog for a dip. Similar features in other parts of the waterfront allow pedestrian access directly to False Creek through additional granite steps and via a boating center.
While intense remediation of the site removed many signs of its previous industrial use, a few signs remain. Among them, the Salt Building at the head of the main plaza. This timber building is old enough that it's believed to be constructed of first-growth Douglas fir from when the first European settlers arrived in the area. And space has been set aside for the reiteration of streetcar service in this section of the city.
Walter Hardwick Avenue was named after the University of British Columbia professor and politician who helped turn this former industrial zone into a residential area.
The original proposed location for the 2010 winter games athletes' village was at the University of British Columbia.
Green Things
The 16 residential buildings meet LEED Gold standards.
The community center meets LEED Platinum standards.
Throughout the complex, rainwater is collected and stored for irrigating the landscaping during dry months.
There is a system to harvest heat from the sewers.
All new buildings have green roofs.
Habitat Compensation Island was built with left over excavations from the project. It quickly became a spawning ground for fish and a resting place for birds.
By reducing the need for automobiles, the project reduces the level of noise pollution.
This project includes six acres of park space.
Windows and balconies have been angled to take advantage of natural cooling breezes.
The bridge was designed to minimize shadow on the water to reduce its impact on aquatic life.
Controversy
The original price tag for this project was CAN$107,900,000.
Copyright 2012 Artefaqs Corporation.
Artefaqs® and the Artefaqs logo are registered trademarks of the Artefaqs Corporation.
Neither text nor images from this web site may be used without permission. All your skyscrapers are belong to us.
Architecture 
Vancouver
Scroll down for more pictures 
60% name='Rating' id='Rating' value='Praise' class='Plain'> name='Rating' id='Rating' value='Raze' class='Plain'>
Copyright 2012 Artefaqs Corporation.
Artefaqs® and the Artefaqs logo are registered trademarks of the Artefaqs Corporation.
Map This
