$24 million new French cultural centre opens in Vancouver

North America's third largest Alliance Francaise cultural centre reaches completion in Vancouver at a cost of $24 million

The new Alliance Francaise Vancouver building. (Alliance Francaise Vancouver)

This week, Alliance Francaise Vancouver (AFV) opened its brand new replacement and expanded language and cultural centre, which is now the largest facility of its kind in British Columbia.

The new centre at 6161 Cambie Street, replacing their previous facility on the same footprint, is located just south of the future Oakridge Park (Oakridge Centre) shopping mall and near SkyTrain Langara-49th Avenue Station.

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The 30,000 sq ft, four-storey building is more than three times the size of the non-profit organization’s previous aging building.

This is now the third largest Alliance Francaise location in North America, just after the network’s facilities in New York City and Toronto.

Headquartered in Paris, there are currently over 1,000 locations around the world, including 13 Alliance Francaise locations in Canada, and over 100 chapters in the United States.

6161 Cambie Street Alliance Francaise Vancouver

The new Alliance Francaise Vancouver building. (Alliance Francaise Vancouver)

Within its new Vancouver building, the centre now has 16 classrooms, a performance-calibre auditorium with 165 fixed seats, a 1,120 sq ft art gallery, a 2,700 sq ft flexible artist space, a fully-stocked media library with thousands of books and multimedia that is the largest Francophone collection in British Columbia, and a demonstration kitchen for French cooking classes.

Additionally, the building features an authentic French café and bistro named Champs Élysées, which will offer a breakfast and lunch menu throughout the day and transform into an intimate wine bar in the evening.

The mass-timber building is designed by Vancouver-based McFarland Marceau Architects. The building’s spaces are oriented around a central atrium, which sees ample natural light.

The new Alliance Francaise Vancouver building. (Alliance Francaise Vancouver)

“Drawing upon the rich cultural heritage of Alliance Française Vancouver, which this year celebrates its 120th anniversary, we are thrilled to unveil our new landmark cultural facility, devoted to preserving and celebrating the French language and thriving francophone cultures present in Vancouver today,” said Damien Hubert, executive director of Alliance Francaise Vancouver, in a statement.

“Our mission is for AFV to be a vital gathering space for creativity and community.”

This project, first envisioned in 2015, carries a total cost of $24 million, including $6 million covered by private fundraising, with $5 million already raised to date. The facility has also received funding support from the municipal, provincial, and federal governments.

The rezoning application was approved by Vancouver City Council in 2019, and construction began in 2021 with the demolition of the 1968-built building on the site.

The design of the new building’s exterior facade has changed considerably compared to the 2019-approved rezoning.

Previous 1968-built building:

Alliance Francaise 6161 Cambie Street Vancouver

The previous Alliance Francaise building at 6161 Cambie Street, Vancouver. (Google Maps)

Previous 2019-approved design during rezoning:

Previous 2019 concept during rezoning: Artistic rendering of the new Alliance Francaise building at 6161 Cambie Street, Vancouver. (McFarland Marceau Architects / Alliance Francaise Vancouver)

2024 completed condition:

The new Alliance Francaise Vancouver building. (Alliance Francaise Vancouver)

The grand opening event for the new building is scheduled for Wednesday, August 14, 2024.

Another major French cultural centre in Vancouver is currently in the planning process for its renewal.

In 2023, La Maison de la Francophonie, a separate French cultural centre owned and operated by another non-profit organization, submitted a rezoning application to redevelop its 1985-built, two-storey home at 1551-1581 West 7th Avenue — located in the Fairview area of Vancouver at the south end of the Granville Street Bridge — into a new 227-ft-tall, 21-storey, mixed-use tower. There will be 125 strata market condominium homes in the tower, which will help fund the 44,000 sq ft new replacement and expanded cultural centre within the base of the building.

La Maison de la Francophonie French Cultural Centre 1551-1581 West 7th Avenue Vancouver

Artistic rendering of the new La Maison de la Francaphonie (French cultural centre) at 1551-1581 West 7th Avenue, Vancouver. (Acton Ostry Architects)

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