VPSN Annual General Meeting Tues, May 9, 2023

Cased photograph is a term used to describe a class of photographs popularized in the mid-19th century that includes daguerreotypes, ambrotypes and tintypes. The ‘case’ refers to the small wooden hinged case that houses these photographs. The photographic plate is typically enclosed in a sealed package, consisting of a sheet of cover glass, a brass mat, and a metal foil preserver. The protective wooden case can be highly decorative, covered in tooled leather, paper, cloth, or early molded thermoplastic (see Union case). Examples of ornate cases: (Left) Tooled leather covering on a wooden case from the Rogers Family fonds (AM1368). (Right) A Union case from the Thomas Wicks fonds (AM236). Photo: Dorcas Tong. Illustration of the different components in a cased photograph. Image source: MediaWiki. “PMG Cased Photographs.” 2011. https://www.conservation-wiki.com/wiki/PMG_Cased_Photographs . Aside from their shared presentation format, these photographs are uniquely different photographic processes. A daguerreotype is a direct positive photograph on a copper plate coated with a polished layer of metallic silver. Daguerreotypes are characteristically identified by their highly reflective mirror-like surface and their ability to appear as both a positive and a negative simultaneously, depending on the angle they are viewed at. An ambrotype is a wet-collodion negative on a glass plate that appears as a positive due to the presence of a dark background, either in the form of paint (lacquer), fabric or paper. A tintype is a wet-collodion direct positive on a lacquered iron plate. Characteristic mirror-like surface of a daguerreotype from the Rogers Family fonds (AM1368). Photos: Dorcas Tong. Finding a cased photograph in most archival collections can range from an uncommon to a rare occurrence. Given the rarity of this form of record, we decided to prioritize the conservation treatment and digitization of the daguerreotypes (and a few ambrotypes) in our holdings during the latest round of annual digitization cleanup. Conservation Issues with Cased Photographs The overall treatment objective is to address three common issues found in cased photographs: The accumulation of heavy surface grime and accretions from years of handling and from inappropriate storage environment. Broken seal on the packaged plate resulting in the introduction of atmospheric pollutants, which causes corrosion on the brass mats and tarnishing on the image silver on the daguerreotypes. Physical damage, usually as partially or fully broken hinge in the case, often leading to the loss of the cover or the case entirely. Unlike other types of records commonly found in archives, where the original enclosure may hold little informational value to the item, the ornate housing for cased photographs play an integral part to their overall aesthetics. Not only do they provide period-appropriate framing for the image, but the case is instrumental in protecting these photographs against various mechanical and chemical deterioration mechanisms. Therefore, addressing the conservation issues for the case is equally as important as stabilizing the condition of the photographs themselves. Conservation Treatment A total of six case photographs from the Rogers family fonds were treated, each with its own set of conservation issues. Two 1840s-era daguerreotypes, “Portrait of an unidentified woman” and “John and Isabella Fairweather,” and their cases will be focused here to highlight the key steps in the treatment. Each packaged daguerreotype was carefully separated from its tray case with a microspatula, taking care not to touch the delicate image silver, as it is very susceptible to scratches. Although disassembly is not normally recommended for sealed daguerreotypes, it was clear by the remnants of old sealing tape that the original seals were broken long before their arrival at the Archives. Therefore, disassembly was justified as it allowed for cleaning that will benefit the long-term preservation of these photographs and produce digitized images with a higher clarity. A daguerreotype is separated from its tray case with a microspatula (left), revealing the tarnished image silver caused by the brass mat. The remnants of old sealing tape are visible on the back of a packaged plate (right). Photos: Dorcas Tong. After disassembly, each component of the plate package was cleaned, the remnants of the old tape removed to allow for better adhesion to the new sealing tape. The heavy accumulation of surface grime on the cover glass, brass mat and preserver were cleaned with a solvent solution. Although the dark corrosion products on the brass mat are disfiguring, they were left in-situ. Since the treated daguerreotypes will be rehoused in a controlled environmental climate in the Archives’ storage, the corrosion products will not pose an immediate risk to the stability of the object. Larger accretions trapped in the recessed features of the brass preserver were gently dislodged. A thin layer of microcrystalline wax was applied and buffed on the metal-foil preserver to deter future oxidation. The surface dirt on the image silver was very gently removed using a soft bristled brush. The loose accretions and dust trapped in the fabric lining of the cases were brushed and vacuumed away. Heavy surface soil on the cover glass removed with solvent cleaning. Photo: Dorcas Tong. After all the components of the daguerreotype packages were cleaned, they were reassembled in their original orientation and sealed with an archival quality pressure-sensitive tape. An unbuffered, ‘4-flap’ paper enclosure was added to the verso of the plate package to prevent direct contact between the acrylic-based sealing tape and the daguerreotype. An unbuffered, ‘4-flap’ paper enclosure in a daguerreotype package (left) and a plate package being sealed with archival quality pressure-sensitive tape

Oxford Properties has submitted their rezoning application for 11 East 4th Avenue, a 24,185 SF site at the northeast corner of East 4th and Ontario Street in Mount Pleasant. The proposal for the site is to allow for the development of a 8-storey mixed-use industrial building and includes: 78,000 SF of office/lab space; 78,000 SF of industrial space; 6,800 SF of ground floor retail space; a total density of 6.70 FSR; and A building height of 146 ft. This application is being considered under the  Broadway Plan. The site was acquired by Oxford in 2021 for $30,500,000, or $187 per buildable SF based on the application. The architect for the project is Chernoff Thompson Architects. The full rezoning application can be viewed here: https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/11-15-e-4-ave The post Oxford Unveils Plans for Mount Pleasant Commercial/Industrial Project appeared first on Vancouver Market.

Bubbles — like the current Vancouver housing bubble — are nothing new. Contrary to the views of some, markets are not efficient and are frequently irrational. Few understood this better than John Kenneth Galbraith. Over twenty years ago in, A Short History of Financial Euphoria, he gave an excellent summary of how they occur. And as the following section presciently concludes, “There will be occasion to see the operation of this rule frequently repeated.” Chapter 1 – The Speculative Episode That the free-enterprise economy is given to recurrent episodes of speculation will be agreed. These–great events and small, involving bank notes, securities, real estate, art and other assets or objects–are, over the years and centuries, part of history. What have not been sufficiently analyzed are the features common to these episodes, the things that signal their certain return and have thus the considerable practical value of aiding understanding and prediction. Regulation and more orthodox economic knowledge are not what protect the individual and the financial institution when euphoria returns, leading on as it does to wonder at the increase in values and wealth, to the rush to participate that drives up prices, and to the eventual crash and its sullen and painful aftermath. There is protection only in a clear perception of the characteristics common to these flights into what must conservatively be described as mass insanity. Only then is the investor warned and saved. There are, however, few matters on which such a warning is less welcomed. In the short run, it will be said to be an attack, motivated by either deficient understanding or uncontrolled envy, on the wonderful process of enrichment. More durably, it will be thought to demonstrate a lack of faith in the inherent wisdom of the market itself. The more obvious features of the speculative episode are manifestly clear to anyone open to understanding. Some artifact or some development, seemingly new and desirable–tulips in Holland, gold in Louisiana, real estate in Florida, the superb economic designs of Ronald Reagan–captures the financial mind or perhaps, more accurately, what so passes. The price of the object of speculation goes up. Securities, land, objets d’art, and other property, when bought today, are worth more tomorrow. This increase and the prospect attract new buyers; the new buyers assure a further increase. Yet more are attracted; yet more buy; the increase continues. The speculation building on itself provides its own momentum. This process, once it is recognized, is clearly evident, and especially so after the fact. So also, if more subjectively, are the basic attitudes of the participants. These take two forms. There are those who are persuaded that some new price-enhancing circumstance is in control, and they expect the market to stay up and go up, perhaps indefinitely. It is adjusting to a new situation, a new world of greatly, even infinitely increasing returns and resulting values. Then there are those, superficially more astute and generally fewer in number, who perceive or believe themselves to perceive the speculative mood of the moment. They are in to ride the upward wave; their particular genius, they are convinced, will allow them to get out before the speculation runs its course. They will get the maximum reward from the increase as it continues; they will be out before the eventual fall. For built into this situation is the eventual and inevitable fall. Built in also is the circumstance that it cannot come gently or gradually. When it comes, it bears the grim face of disaster. That is because both of the groups of participants in the speculative situation are programmed for sudden efforts at escape. Something, it matters little what–although it will always be much debated–triggers the ultimate reversal. Those who had been riding the upward wave decide now is the time to get out. Those who thought the increase would be forever find their illusion destroyed abruptly, and they, also, respond to the newly revealed reality by selling or trying to sell. Thus the collapse. And thus the rule, supported by the experience of centuries: the speculative episode always ends not with a whimper but with a bang. There will be occasion to see the operation of this rule frequently repeated.

The Archives is pleased to announce that the entirety of the architectural drawings of the partnerships of Desmond Muirhead, Clive Justice and Harry Webb described as AM1194 Clive L. Justice and Harry J. Webb collections are now available to researchers. UBC Headlands redevelopment, 1979. Reference Code: AM1194-S7-F1118 : 1993-060.4851 For many years, the majority of the landscape architecture drawings of this collection awaited processing. The textual portion of the job files and other business and personal records of Clive Justice and Harry Webb and their business partners have been available to researchers for more than a decade, along with ca. 20% of the job drawings. Now, all the job drawings created and collected by Justice and Webb have been fully described and are searchable in our AtoM database. The collection focuses on the work of prolific landscape architects Desmond Muirhead, Clive Justice and Harry Webb and the various firms they headed. The drawings document the work of a continuum of evolving landscape architecture partnerships and practices: Brauton, May and Muirhead; Muirhead and Fisher; G.D. Muirhead/Desmond Muirhead and Associates; Muirhead and Justice; Justice and Webb; Justice, Webb and Vincent; Harry Webb and Associates; and Justice & Vincent Landscape Architects. The core of the design work, especially before 1970, is the wide range of residential work done for single family and multi-unit residential buildings across Greater Vancouver, most particularly in West Vancouver, the University Endowment lands and the Point Grey and Kerrisdale neighbourhoods of Vancouver. A prominent feature of the fonds is the high percentage of projects that have perspective renderings of the designs. From 1954 onwards, these were almost exclusively the work of Harry J. Webb, a graduate of the Vancouver School of Art. Webb’s distinctive, highly-detailed rendering style helps bring a visual cohesiveness to the works. Much of the residential design work articulates what seems to be a conventional idea of the good life in the middle decades of the 20th century: a backyard pool, space for entertaining friends, privacy and family-friendly design. Sketch of pool area, garden for Mr. & Mrs. A.M. Shoults, 1977. Reference Code: AM1194-S7-F1066 : 1993-060.4651 A number of design features recur again and again the firm’s work, including a pool in the backyard wherever the space and site topography allowed. Pool and cabana for Mr. & Mrs. J. McMahon, 1955? Reference Code:  AM1194-S7-F0770 : 1993-060.3781 Round lawns are a common feature of their residential design. Island & pools for Dr. & Mrs. R.H. Gourlay. Reference Code: AM1194-S7-F0260 : 1993-060.3894 Many of the designs demonstrate Japanese gardening inspirations, including backdrops of bamboo, Japanese maples and rhododendron hedges. Garden for Mlles. Beamont & Martin, 1969. Reference Code: AM1194-S7-: 1993-060.3627 This aesthetic often crossed over into non-residential work, as evidenced by the firm’s design for the world’s grooviest computer lab. Computer court for Nissan Motor Co., 1972. Reference Code: AM1194-S7-: 1993-060.4013 Structures for outdoor living, such as terraces, gazebos, decks and spaces for entertaining were obviously highly prized by the firm’s clients. Sketch of pool area garden for Mr. & Mrs. George E. Clark, 1969. Reference Code: AM1194-S7-F0255 : 1993-060.0447 In the 1960s and 1970s, as Greater Vancouver neighbourhoods densified through replacement of single-family houses with multi-unit residences, the company designed landscaping for a large number of apartment, condominium and townhouse developments. The earliest of these designs were in the Kerrisdale neighbourhood, then later in Kitsilano, West and North Vancouver and Burnaby. Gardens for the Fontainbleau Apartments (north side of building), between 1964 and 1966. Reference Code: AM1195-S7-F0538 : 1993-060.2774 In the 1970s and 1980s, site and landscape development for large multi-unit residential complexes, such as the Sahale townhouse development in West Vancouver and Champlain Heights in south-east Vancouver, appear within the company records. Landscape elevations Units 1, 2, 3 & 4 Sahale South Phase 1, 1983. Reference Code: AM1194-S7-F0302 : 1993-060.1042 Landscape development for schools in cities and towns across the province were prominent in the firm’s work from the mid 1950s to the 1970s as the population grew rapidly, placing significant demands on school boards for new or expanded schools. Proposed landscape development for North Burnaby Senior High School expansion, 1959. Reference Code: AM1194-S7-F0397 : 1993-060.1857 Connaught Park Elementary School courtyard, 1963. Reference Code: AM1194-S7-F0475 : 1993-060.2513 From the late 1950s through the 1970s, some of the more significant projects include public parks and other community facilities. Sketch of proposed civic centre area for Richmond, B.C. 1953? Reference Code: AM1194-S7-F0385 : 1993-060.1794 Sketch of Centennial Park, Prince Rupert, 1971: AM1194-S7. Reference Code: 1993-060.3755 Pemberton Terrace Park climb & slide station details, 1970. Reference Code: AM1194-S7-F0762-: 1993-060.3754 The largest projects documented in the collection were for large public gardens, such as the University of British Columbia Botanical Gardens and Park and Tilford Gardens in North Vancouver. Park and Tilford Gardens, Rose Garden, 1969. Reference Code: AM1194-F1308: 1993-060.5553 University of British Columbia Botanical gardens, Phase 3 Alpine Rock Garden, General Plan – East, 1973. Reference Code: AM1194-S7-F0209 : 1993-060.0538 University of British Columbia Botanical gardens, Phase 3 Alpine Rock Garden, General Plan – West, 1973. Reference Code: AM1194-S7-F0209 : 1993-060.0539 From the late 1960s onwards, projects for commercial and industrial clients became increasingly important to the firm, as projects for single-family homes declined. G.F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre, Children’s play court, 1971? Reference Code: AM1194-S7-F0270 : 1993-060.0712 Departure Bay Ferry Terminal landscaping, 1975. Reference Code: AM1194-S7: 1993-060.5657 Insurance Corporation of British Columbia Head office plaza, 1983. Reference Code: AM1194-S7-F1216:

The notable project of a 30-storey mixed-use rental housing tower immediately south of SkyTrain’s future Arbutus Station has taken its next big step. A new development permit application has been submitted by PCI Developments for the project of 2096 West Broadway and 2560-2576 Arbutus Street — the narrow, but long, lot next to the Arbutus Greenway at the southeast corner of the intersection of Arbutus Street and West Broadway. The application also shows new detailed artistic renderings of a highly refined design by architectural firm Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership. You might also like: – Vancouver City Council approves TransLink’s first rental housing project, located at Arbutus SkyTrain station – TransLink to launch new for-profit real estate development arm – Massive mixed-use building development at VCC-Clark SkyTrain station with rental housing, office, childcare, grocery store, and retail uses – 25-storey rental housing tower proposed next to future SkyTrain South Granville Station – 20-storey condo tower proposed for SkyTrain’s future Arbutus Station This is the latest step for the project after its rezoning application was unanimously approved by Vancouver City Council in a public hearing in July 2024. It is a significant project; this is not only one of the first high-rise tower projects approved under the City of Vancouver’s Broadway Plan, but it is also TransLink’s very first building development project under the public transit authority’s new for-profit real estate development division. PCI Developments and TransLink have a 50-50 partnership for this project. This transit-oriented development will also have built-in space to enable a future secondary entrance into Arbutus Station by setting aside streetfront and underground spaces for such uses. During the rezoning application process, it was noted that this additional subway station entrance would be situated on the Arbutus Street side of the building. However, following previous suggestions by the City’s Urban Design Panel, the development permit application shows the subway entrance is now relocated to the northernmost frontage of the building, directly facing West Broadway at the intersection corner. Schematics show this entrance will feature a staircase, one escalator, and one elevator. Some of the building’s underground parking space will be used for the required concourse space to directly connect with Arbutus Station’s expansive concourse level directly below West Broadway. The tower’s primary use will be 260 secured purpose-built rental homes, including 208 market rental units and 52 below-market rental units, based on the Broadway Plan’s stipulation of requiring at least 20% of the residential rental floor area be set aside for below-market rental housing. About 7,400 sq ft of retail/restaurant uses will activate the building’s West Broadway, Arbutus, and West 10th Avenue frontages. Additionally, about 7,100 sq ft of community space over two levels for the new home of Ohel Ya’akov Community Kollel will be incorporated into the south end of the building, with the Jewish community organization space’s entrance fronting the Arbutus Greenway, where there will also be a cafe operated by the organization. Additionally, this project will also provide the adjacent segment of the Arbutus Greenway with a major public space upgrade, including a space for a large Mobi bike share station. During the public hearing, it was indicated that construction on the tower could begin in late 2025 for a completion in 2029. Earlier this year, the provincial government announced SkyTrain Millennium Line’s Broadway extension reaching Arbutus will see a further delayed completion and opening in Fall 2027 instead of early 2026. You might also like: – Vancouver City Council approves TransLink’s first rental housing project, located at Arbutus SkyTrain station – TransLink to launch new for-profit real estate development arm – Massive mixed-use building development at VCC-Clark SkyTrain station with rental housing, office, childcare, grocery store, and retail uses – 25-storey rental housing tower proposed next to future SkyTrain South Granville Station – 20-storey condo tower proposed for SkyTrain’s future Arbutus Station

Cities host our lived experiences. They are more than mere words in reports or policy documents; they are tangible environments that shape our daily lives. These urban spaces consist of physical materials molded into structures and places that influence how we move, connect, and think.  Yet, it’s easy to lose sight of this reality, especially when cities are viewed as abstractions—defined by terms like “economies,” and “social networks,” rather than as physical entities with concrete impacts. City planning suffers from a disconnection between policy and physical reality. Politicians, municipal workers, and decision-makers frequently focus on metrics like unit counts, floor space ratios, and density figures without considering the real-world implications for communities. This tendency to reduce cities to numbers, graphs, and other abstractions can result in sweeping changes that ignore the day-to-day experiences of residents and are detrimental to how the city works and feels on the ground. In contrast to abstract planning, Barcelona’s Superilla initiative demonstrates a more grounded approach to urban transformation. The Superilla, a neighborhood-level project, reimagined public space by prioritizing pedestrians and cyclists over cars. While initial policies set targets, the real impact was seen in the physical changes experienced by residents. Within a decade, the initiative had transformed the city in meaningful ways. The Superilla‘s success was rooted in a clear strategy: Prioritize all citizens by ensuring that public space serves the community. Set cross-disciplinary targets to address social, environmental, and economic goals. Launch small, viable pilot projects that could be tested and refined. Use evidence collection and analysis to inform decisions and adjust strategies. Scale successful interventions incrementally while discarding ineffective models. Empower local decision-making to keep citizens engaged and involved. This approach allowed the city to evolve naturally, adapting to changing circumstances while avoiding the risks associated with drastic, large-scale reforms. The importance of incremental, evidence-based planning is not a new idea. It goes back to the earliest settlements and is found in Cerdà’s Eixample design in Barcelona, despite being a large-scale masterplan. As discussed in previous pieces in the Barcelona Chronicles, the 19th-century urban plan was based on rigorous analysis, including demographic studies, building assessments, and environmental factors such as sun and wind patterns. Cerdà’s plan laid a flexible framework for gradual implementation and ongoing refinements over decades. However, even Cerdà’s method had its flaws. As we’ve seen, the Superilla addressed the system-wide problems that developed from the initial plan. More recently, the failures of Modernist architecture and urban planning in the mid-20th century serve as a cautionary tale. These large-scale projects often imposed untested models on cities, leading to outcomes that will negatively impact urban life for generations to come. The lesson is clear: large-scale planning can succeed only with a solid foundation of data, flexibility to adapt, and meaningful citizen feedback. In Vancouver, recent initiatives like the Broadway Plan and Transit-Oriented Area regulations ignored these principles,  failing to prioritize neighborhoods and their residents . They involve broad, large-scale transformations that have not been sufficiently tested through evidence-based methods. Their reforms aim to radically reshape thousands of hectares of land and existing communities but overlook critical factors, including infrastructure impacts, park space provisions, and the specific needs of neighbourhoods, to name a few. The city’s Social Housing Initiative and Vancouver Plan also overlook these essential considerations, favouring developers’ interests over citizens’ quality of life. The demolition of community-oriented urban fabric is planned without proper assessment of those who will be affected or what is and isn’t working in these areas.  This is a recipe for disaster. The risks associated with these untested policies are significant; if they fail, the consequences will be severe and difficult to reverse. Longstanding, more affordable, housing in older buildings once lost can never be recaptured.  This is why incremental approaches are preferred. On a smaller scale, Vancouver’s parklet program exemplifies the value of community-focused, incremental urban design, but it also has many shortcomings in comparison to Barcelona’s counterparts. The initiative began as a pilot project from 2011 to 2013, replacing parking spaces with public areas where people could gather and socialize. The city officially adopted the program in 2016, and parklets can now be found across Vancouver, maintained in partnership with local businesses and organizations. Despite their popularity, the parklet program remains limited in scope. The interventions are still considered “temporary,” with little discussion about expanding the program or integrating it into a broader urban planning strategy for the city. Roughly half remain in downtown Vancouver, with few other neighbourhoods receiving the benefit. This reflects a larger pattern in the city’s urban design efforts, where successful initiatives are left in a state of stagnation rather than evolving into permanent solutions. Other recent projects, like separated bike lanes and community public plazas, share similar challenges. While they offer benefits, they lack a systematic approach that could help scale them up across the city and create a cohesive, long-term vision. An example of a more ambitious urban transformation is Vancouver’s Arbutus Walk , a mixed-use development that replaced a former industrial site over two decades ago. The project prioritized pedestrians and cyclists with a central greenway and converting existing roads into public spaces. Drawing of Arbutus Walk central greenway concept. Courtesy of Scot Hein & Sean McEwen. Community involvement played a significant role in shaping the project, leading to the choice of mid-rise housing over high-rise towers, which allowed for more sunlight, open spaces, and a diverse demographic