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Museum of Rain, False Creek, Vancouver

University of British Columbia

As urban centres rapidly expand, a trend appears to be happening which is threatening the uniqueness of these centres. International homogenization is making the place "a small world after all". To deal with this, cities have established institutions and attractions to celebrate the heritage, culture and characteristics of a place. Tourist attractions are built with the goal of giving visitors the "most real and authentic experience" of the place, distinct from anywhere else in the world. They also play a significant role in educating the local citizens and improving their daily experience of city life, which may be taken for granted. Playing on Vancouver's infamous reputation, this project, the Museum of Rain, will attempt to give visitors an "authentic" experience of what it is like to live in perhaps the rainiest city in North America. The site is on the north shore of False Creek, on the old Expo lands, along the Seawall. The location of the project helps create a continuity of attractions with Science World, Chinatown, Gastown and the sports stadiums, all located in the area. As well, it provides an opportunity for a visual attraction in the urban landscape along the Seawall, thus, strengthening and improving an area that is quite desolate at the moment. The museum is designed to give the visitor a heightened sense and appreciation for this aspect of nature, which may be disliked or taken for granted by many people. There are basically two parts to the building, an information ban on the north side of the building and an experiential zone to the south. The experiential zone is divided according to the senses of sound, sight, smell and touch. It is with the exaggeration and amplification or rain through the senses and the educational information that the visitor's experience will be greatly impressed into their memory and implore a better understanding and appreciation for Rain.

Thesis/Dissertation

application/pdf

2009-05-22

For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/8057

Architecture

University of British Columbia

UBCV

DSpace