Description
Pandora Park Community Garden is currently under development as part of the City of Vancouver's 2010 in 2010 initiative - a project to create 2010 new community garden plots across the city. The competition encompasses the northwest corner of the garden, an area that has been reserved for public amenities including picnic facilities, storage for garden tools, a beehive, and a small fruit tree orchard. With stunning views of the north shore mountains and surrounding park and garden, the site offers the possibility to design a space for contemplation and congregation, in addition to serving the gardens needs for seating and storage.
The primary objective is to demonstrate that natural, hand built, recycled, or otherwise sustainably produced building materials and technologies can be used in a contemporary aesthetic and community garden context. Entrants are therefore encouraged to use materials in innovative ways in the tradition of Samuel Mockbee's Rural Studio. Materials may include, but are not limited to: rammed earth, cob, straw bale, reclaimed wood, offcut dimensional lumber, and salvaged materials from any source. A list of identified salvaged materials from local builders and suppliers is provided below.
Site
Pandora Park is an older, medium-sized inner city park on Vancouver's east side. The park serves the Hastings Sunrise neighbourhood, which is home to a wide mix of income levels, ethnic backgrounds and types of housing. The neighbourhood to the east of the park, with the exception of lots facing Nanaimo Street, is zoned for single-family homes. The neighbourhood surrounding the park west of Nanaimo Street is a mix of low-rise apartments, condominiums, and single family homes. Much of the housing in the area serves low-income households with no access to garden space. Directly south of the park lies a busy commercial district along Hastings Street, which boasts a wide variety of food markets, restaurants and small shops.
The park provides valuable outdoor recreational space for the neighbourhood, including four concrete tennis courts, a basketball area, a grassy playing field, picnic tables, a wading pool and a children's play gym and swings. Recent renovations to the park's central alleyway and play area have helped bring more neighbours to the Park, while discouraging illicit activity. The garden is bordered by a number of mature trees, including large maples along Pandora Street and the north edge of the park. Two small holly trees stand at the south entrance to the garden.
The new community garden is a 100'x100' fenced area at the southwest corner of the park. When completed, the garden will contain 66 garden plots of various sizes, including 4 wheelchair accessible plots at the north end, adjacent to the competition area. Cold water lines for garden watering have been installed throughout the site. A curved walking path cuts through the centre of the garden from Franklin Street to the existing pedestrian path that exits the park at Templeton Drive and Pandora Street. In addition to individual garden plots, perennial flowers and edible berries will be planted throughout the garden for public harvest.
The competition site is an approximately 1000 sq.ft. quarter circular area at the northwest corner of the garden. This area gently slopes down toward the northwest, and offers fantastic views of the north shore mountains. The area is bound by an existing chain link fence atop a granite retaining wall to the west, the garden fence to the north, and the garden path to the east.
Program
Required Program Elements
Storage (Wheelchair Accessible): 2 wheelbarrows, shovels and rakes, hoses, shelves, possible work station, display area/bulletin board, drying racks;
Orchard: a minimum of 5 fruit trees, which may be freestanding or espaliered.
Optional Program Elements
Greenhouse*/coldframes
Seating
Potting table
Water feature
Plantings/Garden Beds
Beehive
*Greenhouse space may be incorporated into the storage building within the total area limit of 10 sq.m. (100 sq.ft.).
Design Parameters
Building Height: not to exceed 3.7m (12'1") to the highest point of a flat roof, or to the average height of a sloping roof, with no part of the building exceeding 4.6m (15'0");
Building Area: not to exceed 10 sq.m. (107.6 sq.ft.). Area is measured to the outer limits of the building walls. Landscape elements that are not enclosed building space are excluded from this restriction. Storage elements less than 1.2m (4'0") high are not considered building area;
Materials: although there are no restrictions on materials, entrants should keep in mind that the purpose of the project is to showcase sustainable design, with an emphasis on hand built structures, and that the winning project will be built as a community engagement project with a team including unskilled volunteers;
Services: Cold water plumbing lines have been installed throughout the garden. The garden does not have access to sewers or electricity.
Downloads
GREENSHED.dwg: source plan of garden and competition site *UPDATED JAN.31/10;
Garden Layout: current garden layout showing competition area in northwest corner;
Aerial Map of Site (more information available at http://vancouver.ca/vanmap/)
Pandora Park Community Garden Planning Proposal
Site Panorama 1
Site Panorama 2
Site Panorama 3
Site View from South
Site View from East
Salvaged Materials List *UPDATED FEB.26/10
Submission Requirements:
1. A maximum of three (3) tabloid (11"x17" ) panels, portrait format, to be submitted as a single PDF of maximum size 15MB on a Mac/PC compatible compact disc marked with the entrant's identifying code. Only the identifying code is to be shown on the panel filename and presentation boards. Entrants may choose their own six character identifying code, which may be any combination of letters and numbers provided that they do not form a word or provide any clues to the entrant's identity. Panels should include a site plan, building plan, section(s) and elevations, as well as any construction details, diagrams or 3-D models required to illustrate the design concept. Panels will be viewed electronically for preliminary review; shortlisted entries will be printed and mounted in sequence on a single board.
2. A written description of the design of no more than 200 words clarifying the concept and sustainable design strategies, to be submitted as a pdf with the entrant's identifying code followed by "_text.pdf", (for example, an identifying code of A0B1C2 would use the filename A0B1C2_text.pdf)
3. The entrant's contact information, to be submitted as a pdf with entrant's identifying code followed by "_contact.pdf", (for example, an identifying code of A0B1C2 would use the filename A0B1C2_contact.pdf). Entrants should include the following information: Names of all members of the design team, name of firm (if applicable), and the mailing address, phone number and email address for the team captain.
4. Entries must be received at the competition office no later than 5pm, March 26th, 2010. Entries received after this time will not be reviewed. No materials will be returned. Entries can be mailed to:
GREENSHED COMPETITION
c/o Eastside Design
2165 Cambridge Street
Vancouver, B.C. V5L 1E4
CANADA
Eligibility
The competition is open to all. There are no restrictions on team size or number of entries per team, although each entry requires a separate registration and entry fee. Cross-disciplinary collaboration is encouraged. Non-designers who wish to enter the competition may be eligible for draughting/graphics assistance in preparing their submission - contact the organizers at info@greenshedcompetition.com for more information.
Entry Fee
Early Registration $35
Standard Registration $50
NOTE: Entry fees are waived for members of the Pandora Park Community Garden Society. Sliding scale fees are available to entrants with limited means - contact the organizers at info@greenshedcompetition.com for more information.
Prizes
First: Construction of Winning Design, Publication in SABMag, Cash Prize;
Second: Publication in SABMag, Cash Prize;
Third: Publication in SABMag, Cash Prize;
NOTE: Pandora Park Community Garden Society reserves the right to modify the selected design as required to suit the site and available resources. Construction of the selected design will be subject to review and approval by the City of Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation. Publication of entries will be entirely at the discretion of SABMag. SABMag reserves the right not to publish entries should they be deemed unsuitable for publication by the editorial team. SABMag also reserves the right to reformat entries for publication. Winners may be required to submit additional or revised images for publication. Cash prizes are to be awarded from fees generated at the discretion of the jury. Additional citations may also be awarded at the discretion of the jury.
Judging Criteria
A. Constructability/suitability of design for given site; B. Use of natural/alternative/sustainable building materials, strategies and technologies; C. Satisfaction of functional program requirements; D. Design supports and encourages active involvement of community members in its construction; E. Innovation and aesthetic merit.
Jury
Ian Marcuse (Jury Chair)
Community Organizer, Grandview Woodland Food Connection
Ian currently works in food security as a community organizer and helps to establish community gardens. With over 20 years work as an organizer and activist in the area of environmental and social justice, and a degree in urban planning, his focus is on political empowerment and social inclusion. Ian is also an experienced natural builder, and in 2005 received an Innovation Award from the Vancouver Regional Construction Association for a cob building in Vancouver's Stanley Park.
Nancy Brignall
Artist, Pandora Park Community Garden Member
Nancy is inspired by observing plants, colour relationships and patterns that she discovers while in the garden and working in the gardens of others. Cultivating the soil and investigating botanical and biological systems inform her studio exploration. Her sculpture and jewellery celebrate the everydayness of a garden beetle or the intricate structure of a dragonfly wing. After graduating from Emily Carr College of Art & Design in 1987, she was a pioneer in a trend of casting masks and limited editions of paper reliefs for high-profile West Coast artists. She was also employed sculpting plaster, making rubber molds and wax patterns for large bronzes.
Simon Hunkin
Construction Manager, SNC-Lavalin, Pandora Park Community Garden Member
Simon Hunkin is an Engineer in Training and Construction Manager for SNC-Lavalin. Simon has worked in the construction industry for over 5 years, most recently completing the Seymour-Capilano Filtration Plant in North Vancouver. Simon has design, construction management, risk management and quality control experience in most major construction trades and disciplines. Simon also volunteers with the Greater Vancouver Interactive Arts Society and Disaster Area, two non-profit Vancouver agencies that promote and create construction- and trades-based art projects.
Sharif Senbel MAIBC, LEED® AP
Principal, Studio Senbel Architecture and Design
Sharif has been practicing architecture in B.C. since 1991. His parents are both architects; his father is a modernist and his mother a regionalist. The University of Oregon focused his education on human-based design and sustainable architecture. These influences, plus living in Eastern, Western and Latin cultures form his architectural palette. He finds greatest satisfaction working on community projects where investment and aspiration are never monetary. Sharif has received various awards for his work including the Barbara Dalrymple Award for Community Service.
Andrew Weyrauch, M.Arch
Architectural Designer, Acton Ostry Architects, Pandora Park Community Garden Member
Andrew has been working as an architectural designer for over 10 years and has participated in international and local competitions. Andrew grew up in mountain country and his work is influenced by his connection to the landscape. As a member of the Pandora Park Community Garden, he is looking forward to growing food for his family.
Jason Woodall, BSc
Pandora Park Community Garden Member
Jason has been an avid "sustainable builder" since before that term became commonplace. Jason brings a wide variety of practical experience to the jury, including draughting, plumbing, carpentry, and general construction skills, as well as hands on experience with natural building. With roots in small town life, he has an appreciation for simple practicality, but having lived in Toronto and now Vancouver, he also recognizes the energy cities and their distinct villages and communities offer, and how design can draw from its surroundings.