Vancouver Community College to build big expansion of Broadway campus

Vancouver Community College to build eight-storey expansion of Broadway campus

Artistic rendering of the VCC Centre for Clean Energy and Automotive Innovation (CCEAI). (Stantec Architecture/Vancouver Community College)

The Broadway campus of Vancouver Community College (VCC) will see its largest expansion in well over a decade.

A new development permit application has been submitted to develop the western half of the surface vehicle parking lot on the north side of the campus — the southeast corner of the intersection of Great Northern Way and Glen Drive.

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The footprint for development is immediately north of the campus’ existing Building B, and just southwest of SkyTrain VCC-Clark Station across the street. Furthermore, this parking lot was temporarily used by Vancouver Coastal Health as a temporary testing and vaccination centre at the height of the pandemic.

The application calls for a 144-ft-tall, eight-storey building called the VCC Centre for Clean Energy and Automotive Innovation (CCEAI), carrying the address of 1111 East 7th Avenue.

Vancouver Community College VCC Centre for Clean Energy and Automotive Innovation CCEAI Broadway campus 1111 East 7th Avenue

Future site of the VCC Centre for Clean Energy and Automotive Innovation (CCEAI). (Stantec Architecture/Vancouver Community College)

Footprint of the VCC Centre for Clean Energy and Automotive Innovation (CCEAI). (Stantec Architecture/Vancouver Community College)

The lower levels of the building will see public uses, including the automotive learning areas, new library and student experience areas, an Indigenous gathering space, and administration. This lower volume will also feature an impressive glass-enclosed atrium area.

The upper levels will be a technical showcase of multiple clean energy technologies that will be a part of the post-secondary institution’s future clean energy program.

Designed by Stantec Architecture, the building is inspired by the footprint’s historic location of False Creek’s original shoreline, before the inlet east of Quebec Street was filled in. It also takes inspiration from First Nations traditions, with the building’s western facade representing the land, the transparent glass atrium symbolizing water, and the upper form of the building resembling the Indigenous craft of canoe making.

Existing condition:

Future site of the VCC Centre for Clean Energy and Automotive Innovation (CCEAI). (Stantec Architecture/Vancouver Community College)

Future condition:

Artistic rendering of the VCC Centre for Clean Energy and Automotive Innovation (CCEAI). (Stantec Architecture/Vancouver Community College)

The CCEAI will have a total building floor area of about 243,000 sq ft on its site footprint of about 61,000 sq ft. Two underground levels will provide 148 vehicle parking stalls and 128 secured bike parking spaces.

This development also forms the first segment of the new north-south central pedestrian spine for the campus.

The pedestrian spine is intended to not only improve student movements within the campus, but also enhance the accessibility of VCC-Clark Station just north of Great Northern Way.

Artistic rendering of the VCC Centre for Clean Energy and Automotive Innovation (CCEAI). (Stantec Architecture/Vancouver Community College)

All of this follows VCC’s recently created master plan for the future of its Broadway campus, which guides the complete long-term redevelopment of the campus into a mix of academic and residential uses intertwined with new public spaces. Thousands of new homes will be integrated with new and renewed academic uses.

The City of Vancouver’s 2022-approved Broadway Plan also deems the campus to be a special site for growth and expansion.

According to VCC, the new CCEAI forms the first phase of the campus redevelopment.

Future pedestrian pathways within the VCC Broadway campus through redevelopment. (Stantec Architecture/Vancouver Community College)

vancouver community college campus vcc 1155 East Broadway

Highly conceptual artistic rendering of Vancouver Community College’s future Broadway campus redevelopment, for illustrative purposes only. (Vancouver Community College)

“The design pays special attention to the policies outlined in the Broadway Plan with the understanding this is the first enabling project that will see the reorientation of VCC’s academic campus toward Great Northern Way and allowing for the inclusion of greater density along Broadway where the existing Building A is located,” reads the design rationale.

“The building is intended to create a strong and identifiable marker for the current and future VCC campus and complements the quality and aesthetic of the bold architectural moves that are defining the Creative District to the north.”

The eastern half of the parking lot on the other side of the pedestrian spine will also be developed eventually.

The last major expansion and upgrade off VCC’s Broadway campus was the 2009 completion of Building B — a 125,000 sq ft building for health sciences programs. Building B is prominently featured in The Good Doctor as the ABC television series’ hospital.

Artistic rendering of the VCC Centre for Clean Energy and Automotive Innovation (CCEAI). (Stantec Architecture/Vancouver Community College)

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