Description
Until the 1980s, Vancouver was a typical mid-sized North American city. But after the city hosted Expo 86, something extraordinary happened. This otherwise unremarkable urban centre was transformed into an inspiring world-class city celebrated for its livability, sustainability, and competitiveness. This book tells the story of the urban planning phenomenon called “Vancouverism” and the philosophy and practice behind it. Writing from an insider’s perspective, Larry Beasley, a former chief planner of Vancouver, traces the principles that inspired Vancouverism and the policy framework developed to implement it. A prologue, written by Frances Bula, outlines the political and urban history of Vancouver up until the 1980s. The text is also beautifully illustrated by the author with 200 colour photographs depicting not only the city’s vibrancy but also the principles of Vancouverism in action.
Reviews
...this will be the definitive insider’s account of the creation of Vancouver’s famous skyline, its downtown neighbourhoods and its mix of natural beauty and urbanism.
- Michael Kluckner
Overall, this book is a fantastic look at the history of how a city came to be.
- Jenna Collingnon
Beasley’s book is a captain’s log that will sit nicely alongside other books on city building in Vancouver.
- C. Cheung
...an insider’s view of how, especially during Beasley’s decades inside city hall, the Terminal City came to be an internationally renowned exemplar of livable, family-friendly urban neighbourhoods.
- Alex Bozikovic
In Beasley’s hands, Vancouverism’s seemingly disparate parts emerge as a cohesive whole.
- Spencer Morrison