Opinion: How to create a successful new permanent "VANCOUVER" sign

2017 artistic rendering of a theoretical "VANCOUVER" sign for illustrative purposes only; not the actual design or the recommended location. (Daily Hive)

Last month, Vancouver City Council unanimously approved the member motion by ABC city councillor Peter Mesizner calling for the installation of a new permanent “VANCOUVER” sign.

This was a direct response to the immense popularity of the temporary “VANCOUVER” sign that was in place over the past winter on the Canada Place Way sidewalk, with a steady stream of passersby — tourists, event attendees, and locals — frequently observed taking the time to take photos with the sign.

The temporary sign first installed in early December 2023 was removed from the high-foot-traffic location at the end of February 2024, which represents a month-long extension for the sign’s display as part of the Liven UP Coal Harbour wintertime activations in the Coal Harbour area.

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It should be emphasized that this sign is intended to be temporary, as it was not built for longer-term exposure to weather conditions, nor is it resistant to wear and tear, including climbing and vandalism. Also, while the temporary sign served its purpose well as a seasonal attraction, testing the waters akin to a pilot project, it lacked depth in being a thoughtful and unique design that reflects the city’s culture.

The temporary sign was funded by the Vancouver Hotel Destination Association and other activation partners, including the Vancouver Convention Centre and Port of Vancouver.

The temporary “VANCOUVER” sign, as of December 17, 2023. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

The temporary “VANCOUVER” sign, as of December 16, 2023. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

“VANCOUVER” sign, as of December 16, 2023. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Some critics quickly pointed out that a permanent sign would not be an original type of installation, as there are ample examples worldwide of giant three-dimensional letter signs that spell out the name of a city/destination. But that is the whole point, as such signs have proven to be highly popular amongst both visitors and residents. This is an instance where the wheel does not have to be reinvented. No city or destination owns such a sign concept, but there are varying degrees of success.

Think of this future permanent “VANCOUVER” sign as a different type of public art installation — one that is guaranteed to offer a high degree of utility through the sheer number of people who will want to take a photo with it, followed by social media shares.

For locals, this is not only a placemaking initiative — the potential for improving a public space and attracting more foot traffic to an area — but also an opportunity to help foster a much-needed sense of civic pride in Vancouver.

“Let’s reflect on the power of our city’s name to unite, to inspire, and to welcome. The power of destination signs is incredible. We’ve seen this around the globe. Destination signs have transformed ordinary places into icons. These signs do a lot more than simply spell out a name, but they also create a gathering place for both locals and visitors alike to create a sense of belonging,” said Royce Chwin, the president and CEO of local tourism bureau Destination Vancouver, last month.

“The ‘VANCOUVER’ sign has the potential to become a beacon that draws people together, sparking those conversations, and inspiring countless selfies and memories that get shared around the globe.”

“VANCOUVER” sign, as of December 17, 2023. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Last year, Chwin also said there had been a “great dearth” of brand-new tourism attractions and experiences in Vancouver. The lack of new attractions is an important consideration for maintaining Vancouver’s competitive edge for tourism, given that tourism is one of Vancouver’s greatest economic strengths and job-supporting sectors, and its significance is often under-appreciated.

But in order to achieve these positive outcomes and avoid some unintended consequences, there are some key considerations for the new permanent sign:

Integrated design and marketing strategy

During City Council deliberations, it was stated that First Nations would be consulted in the design process of the permanent sign. There was even a suggestion that each letter of the sign could be designed by different teams representing each of the three local First Nations and various multicultural groups in the city.

The sign’s aesthetics and design should be fun and positive yet also reflect the city’s diverse and multicultural character.

A unique design — coupled with scale and size and the possibility of being integrated into its location — is one of the key considerations for the success of this public art installation.

One of the earliest and most successful major applications of a city/destination name letter sign is Amsterdam’s iconic “I amsterdam,” which uses red and white colours that draw from Amsterdam’s flag and coat of arms. It was designed by creative marketing and communications agency KesselsKramer, which is a firm similar to Vancouver-based Rethink Communications.

Original location of the main “I amsterdam” sign outside Rijksmuseum. (photo.ua/Shutterstock)

The success of Amsterdam’s signs also comes from the coupling of the public art installations with an extensive city branding marketing campaign, with the creation of a dedicated website, social media accounts, the widely used #Iamsterdam hashtag, a smartphone app for providing visitors with a convenient one-stop source of useful information, and the branding for the Official City Card providing an all-in-one city pass for visiting dozens of major museums and attractions, and using public transit.

The popularity of the “I amsterdam” sign led to the creation of several ongoing ancillary revenue streams, such as the use of the sign as an intellectual property for souvenirs, which are sold online and at the official “I amsterdam” store at Central Station. This example was alluded to by ABC city councillor Lenny Zhou during last month’s Vancouver City Council meeting.

“I amsterdam” store at Central Station. (I amsterdam)

A similar approach was also taken for the popular “TORONTO” sign by the City of Toronto, which created Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube accounts not only to establish the sign’s official online presence but also as instruments for promoting tourism, arts, culture, events, festivals, and civic pride. The “TORONTO” sign’s official hashtags for social media search-ability are #xoTO and#TOsign. There is even a dedicated City of Toronto email address for any public inquiries specifically about the sign.

According to the City of Toronto, over 122 million social media impressions — online shares and views — were tracked for the “TORONTO” sign within the first six months of its installation in 2015, and it is consistently ranked as one of the most Instagrammable spots in the city. As well, according to a Tourism Toronto survey of visitors, the sign was one of the top three most visited attractions in the city. The “TORONTO” sign was inspired by the success of Amsterdam’s integrated strategy.

For this reason, organizations such as Destination Vancouver, Vancouver Hotel Destination Association, and relevant local business improvement organizations (such as Downtown Van, depending on the sign’s location) should be the key stakeholders for creating an integrated design and marketing strategy. The permanent “VANCOUVER” sign should be far from being solely a public art design exercise.

Another design consideration is the possibility of nighttime lighting, which was an enhanced feature of the temporary “VANCOUVER” sign and proved to be particularly beneficial during the dark winter months.

The “TORONTO” sign has an embedded programmable LED lighting system that enables the letters to glow in different colours. The sign has become so iconic that its nighttime illumination capabilities even have a commemorative and event lighting schedule, similar to the exterior building lights of Vancouver landmarks such as Science World, BC Place Stadium, and the Canada Place sails.

Not only does the “TORONTO” sign change in its illuminated colours, but the sides of each three-dimensional letter and symbol also double as a blank canvas for a changeable colourful vinyl wrap designed by different artists.

toronto sign city hall nathan phillips square

“TORONTO” sign at Nathan Phillips Square outside Toronto City Hall. (Unit 11)

Happy #StPatricksDay, Toronto!! 🇮🇪☘️🇮🇪☘️

To celebrate, here's a green #TOSign picture I took at #NathanPhillipsSquare with my @CanonCanada R6 camera and RF 24-105mm f4 L IS USM lens.#StPaddysDay #Green #Toronto #IrishHeritage #Canon #Photography pic.twitter.com/NBnQnRWp3d

— Michael Wilson (@MWilsonMedia) March 17, 2024

Finally, the sheer scale and size of these three-dimensional letter signs also establish such installations as attractions.

For instance, the Amsterdam sign measures 2.1 metres (7 ft) in height and 23.5 metres (77 ft) in length, while Toronto’s sign is 3.0 metres (10 ft) tall and 22 metres (72 ft) long. Each of these signs is almost the same length as two regular TransLink buses parked together bumper to bumper.

These dimensions are inclusive of add-ons beyond simply spelling out the letter character length of each city name, including “I” before “amsterdam” and Toronto’s Indigenous medicine wheel symbol to the left of the sign’s first letter and the Maple Leaf symbol to the right of the last letter.

Such a concept is completely unlike the existing “City of Vancouver” welcome signs found at various major roadways entering the municipal government’s jurisdiction, for example. These existing signs, installed before the 2010 Winter Olympics, are also generally in highly inaccessible and unattractive locations on the periphery of the city and are primarily intended to be visual markers for people in vehicles.

Location and multiple sign considerations

The potential scale and size of the sign also depend on the size and conditions of its location. Correspondingly, the location of the sign is another key consideration that will determine the installation’s success for years to come.

To achieve success, the permanent “VANCOUVER” sign must be in a highly prominent, attractive, and easily accessible location to generate maximum attention and interest from visitors and locals alike. As a case in point: The optimal location and accessibility of the Canada Place Way sidewalk, just outside the Canada Place pier entrance, greatly contributed to the success of the temporary sign.

As well, the backdrop matters, too.

The “I amsterdam” and “TORONTO” signs are also big hits for their photogenic backdrops.

The original main “I amsterdam” sign was previously found at Museumplein (Museum Square), backdropped by the 1885-built Rijksmuseum, and the “TORONTO” sign perched at Nathan Phillips Square is backdropped by Toronto City Hall. In addition to their iconic backdrops, both sign locations are just behind a large reflecting pool.

Original location of the main “I amsterdam” sign outside Rijksmuseum. (Resul Muslu/Shutterstock)

“TORONTO” sign at Nathan Phillips Square outside Toronto City Hall. (mikecphoto/Shutterstock)

The fireworks at Nathan Phillips Square last Saturday to celebrate Toronto’s 190th birthday! 🎆🎇🎉🎂🥳🎈🎊🎁

Picture taken with my @CanonCanada R6 camera and EF 16-35mm f4 IS USM lens.#Toronto #TO190 #CelebrateToronto #NathanPhillipsSquare #Fireworks #TOSign #Photography pic.twitter.com/JUXpO5Klvg

— Michael Wilson (@MWilsonMedia) March 12, 2024

The temporary “VANCOUVER” sign was backdropped by the North Shore mountains on a clear day, as well as Burrard Inlet and the Vancouver Convention Centre’s West Building. While it had an attractive backdrop, its location was on a sloped sidewalk, and the sign was put up against the railing, which created more of an ad hoc appearance for the installation. If a larger new permanent sign were placed up against the railing in the area, safety considerations should be explored, given that some people will inevitably climb the sign — and it is about a six-storey drop onto the concrete pad, and there is water on the other side of the railing.

Finding a suitable, highly prominent, attractive, accessible, and safe location with a stunning backdrop could prove challenging, especially if a sign the size of Amsterdam’s or Toronto’s were to be pursued.

Only locations with durable hard surfaces, specifically public plazas and along wider areas of the seawall, should be considered to ensure year-round accessibility due to the poor wintertime ground conditions of grassy areas.

Some sites and/or ground surfaces may also have some weight limitations, as permanent signs are generally much heavier than temporary signs due to the use of more durable long-term materials.

For instance, the “TORONTO” sign weighs 20,300 lb, with each letter weighing about 300 lb and each letter plinth/base weighing about 2,600 lb. It has a steel frame, aluminum cladding, and a translucent polycarbonate front and back, which enables the nighttime LED illumination from within the letters.

“TORONTO” sign at Nathan Phillips Square outside Toronto City Hall. (f11photo/Shutterstock)

The giant “Puerto Vallarta” sign on the central waterfront of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. (Holly Vegter/Shutterstock)

The colourful “LISBOA” sign in Lisbon, Portugal, made out of recycled materials. (Mariangela Cruz/Shutterstock)

Downtown Vancouver generally lacks large public plazas. Its largest public plazas are Jack Poole Plaza, Terry Fox Plaza, šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square (Vancouver Art Gallery’s North Plaza fronting West Georgia Street), and the new 800 Robson Plaza (Robson Square). But there are some challenges with these locations.

Jack Poole Plaza and šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square are purpose-built plaza spaces for concerts, festivals, and other events. Placing a permanent large “VANCOUVER” sign at either location could negatively impact the available flexible and functional space for events and film/television productions. Moreover, Jack Poole Plaza already has the Olympic Cauldron as its placemaking centrepiece and attraction, and the same can also be said for the series of Terry Fox memorial statues at Terry Fox Plaza.

Other potential site options include areas around English Bay Beach and Sunset Beach Park, outside Science World, Milton Wong Plaza (Olympic Village Plaza) with its downtown Vancouver skyline backdrop from the False Creek perspective, and Granville Island.

A taller stacked letter sign could also be a possible design alternative for locations with a more limited useable footprint, such as dividing the nine letters that make the city’s name into a vertical symmetrical stacking of three rows, each with three letters — “VAN” as the top row, “COU” as the middle row, and “VER” as the bottom row.

“COZUMEL” sign in Mexico. (Nancy Pauwels/Shutterstock)

“COZUMEL” sign in Mexico. (Kent Weakley/Shutterstock)

Another alternative scenario for this project could involve creating multiple permanent sign locations, which was the strategy used by destinations such as Amsterdam and Cozumel.

In rare instances, such signs in the most optimal of locations could also be a victim of their own success.

First installed in 2004, the “I amsterdam” sign outside Rijksmuseum was actually removed in late 2018 after elected municipal officials perceived the sign to be problematic for overcrowding at the plaza location. In 2012, it was estimated this particular sign was photographed up to 8,000 times on any given day.

The I amsterdam letters are on the move! They’ve been removed from Museumplein at the request of @AmsterdamNL, but you can still find them @Schiphol, as well as at festivals and events across the #AmsterdamArea. Read more: https://t.co/ydjvheHCMd (📷 by https://t.co/nMKKQmlA0c) pic.twitter.com/4513ejipPP

— I amsterdam (@Iamsterdam) December 3, 2018

The two other permanent “I amsterdam” signs at Amsterdam Schipol Airport and Sloterplas Lake remain in place, and the third sign previously outside the museum makes occasional reappearances at select major events across the city.

But unlike Amsterdam, which has an exponentially larger tourism industry and sees many more visitors annually, Vancouver does not face an “overtourism” problem.

Rijksmuseum, the previous location of the most popular “I amsterdam” sign, is also amongst the largest and busiest art museums in Europe. This museum saw nearly three million visitors in 2023, which far exceeds the visitation of any attraction in Vancouver by multitudes.

Original location of the main “I amsterdam” sign outside Rijksmuseum. (Sergii Figurnyi/Shutterstock)

Original location of the main “I amsterdam” sign outside Rijksmuseum. (Alaattin Timur/Shutterstock)

“I amsterdam” sign outside Schiphol Airport. (Frank Cornelissen/Shutterstock)

Cost and maintenance

The “TORONTO” sign that exists today is, in fact, its second iteration.

The original “TORONTO” sign was installed in July 2015, just ahead of the city’s hosting of the 2015 Pan American Games. It was only intended to last for a few weeks over the duration of the event, but it quickly became an attraction of its own, earning the affinity of both visitors and residents at the attractive, high-foot-traffic location of Nathan Phillips Square at Toronto City Hall.

The Maple Leaf symbol was added to the sign in 2017 in time for Canada 150 celebrations, and the Indigenous Medicine Wheel symbol was added to the sign in 2018.

By 2019, it had become highly apparent that the temporary sign — now “showing significant wear and tear” — required a permanent replacement with an improved design for greater durability. As it was not intended to last for years, the municipal government needed to conduct ongoing repairs and enhancements to keep the temporary sign working.

The current “TORONTO” sign that exists, installed in 2020, is a permanent replica that is easier to clean and made of waterproof material, effectively reducing maintenance costs.

The original temporary “TORONTO” sign at Nathan Phillips Square outside Toronto City Hall during the 2015 Pan American Games. (Unit 11)

The cost of designing, fabricating, and installing the permanent replica sign with durability enhancements and added features such as programmable LED lighting was $490,000. But if the costs of removing the old sign, installing changeable colourful vinyl wrap, and the initial three-year maintenance contract are included, the total cost of the permanent “TORONTO” sign grows to $762,000.

“I don’t think anyone could imagine Nathan Phillips Square without the Toronto Sign now,” said then-Toronto Mayor John Tory at the time of the 2019 decision to proceed with a new permanent sign.

“The sign may have started as a temporary fixture but it has become a Toronto icon, beloved by residents and tourists alike. I’m confident the new and improved sign will continue to be a great attraction in the heart of our city that helps us recognize our major victories, significant days of citywide importance, and even moments of tragedy.”

The “TORONTO” sign was borne out of the 2015 Pan American Games’ organizing committee’s “Look of the Games” budget.

For the 2010 Winter Olympics, VANOC had originally budgeted over $30 million for its “Look of the Games,” but much of this budget, which was dedicated to blanketing downtown Vancouver, Whistler, and sports venues with temporary Games-branded decorations and installations, was axed due to the organizing committee’s lower-than-expected sponsorship revenues following the 2008 recession.

In fact, just two years earlier, a giant temporary “VANCOUVER 2010” sign — based on the design of the 2010 logo — was installed outside the BC-Canada House pavilion in Turin, Italy during the 2006 Winter Olympics.

If it were not for these cutbacks, odds are there would have been much more of a visual legacy of the 2010 Games.

The “VANCOUVER 2010” logo sign at the BC-Canada Pavilion in Turin, Italy during the 2006 Winter Olympics. (Andy Miah/Flickr)

Over in Whistler, one of the most popular and photographed landmarks in the resort community is a legacy of the 2010 Games, and it has a similar backstory to the “TORONTO” sign.

The highly popular Olympic rings monument at Whistler Village is located adjacent to Whistler Olympic Plaza, the venue for the Whistler medal ceremonies.

However, similar to the “TORONTO” sign, the existing Whistler Village rings monument is a permanent replica of the original installation, which was also intended to be temporary. The set of rings installed just in time for the 2010 Games were rushed due to the tight deadline, and cost $64,000, according to Pique News Magazine.

In late 2012, the Resort Municipality of Whistler decided to spend $57,400 to install a permanent, durable replacement set of rings. There were safety concerns about the monument’s sturdiness from people climbing the rings, and the municipal government was incurring $6,000 in annual maintenance costs from surface cleaning, graffiti and dirt removal, snow removal, and ice clearing. The new permanent rings reduced such maintenance costs.

Another $30,000 was spent on upgrading the Paralympic Agitos at Whistler Olympic Park.

The permanent rings for Whistler Village were funded by provincial funding dedicated to tourism projects.

“The Olympic Rings and Paralympic Agitos are some of the most popular and photographed spots in Whistler Village,” said then-Whistler Mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden at the time of the 2012 decision to install permanent durable replicas. “These legacies of the 2010 Winter Games allow both visitors and residents to recapture a bit of the magic we all felt in 2010. The replacement and refurbishment of both artifacts ensure they remain a part of the Whistler experience for a long time.”

The permanent Olympic rings at Whistler Village. (Chris LaBasco/Shutterstock)

The permanent Olympic rings at Whistler Village. (Margarita Young/Shutterstock)

The permanent Olympic rings at Whistler Village. (Adam Melnyk/Shutterstock)

Given the installation’s likely high profile, it goes without saying that the future permanent “VANCOUVER” sign should be accompanied by a proper maintenance strategy with the required ongoing operating budget to support such work. The municipal government could potentially also partner with relevant local business improvement associations and other groups and stakeholders to help support the maintenance strategy.

As for the cost of designing, fabricating, and installing a new permanent sign, it could come from the City of Vancouver’s existing public art program funded by developers.

Private sector rezoning applications with a total building floor area over 100,000 sq ft are required to contribute $1.98 per buildable sq ft to a public art process approved by the municipal government.

Developers can use this required public art contribution to provide a public art installation at the site of their development. Alternatively, if the developer does not want the public art on their development site, they can provide the City with a direct cash contribution, which goes towards the municipal government’s pool of funding dedicated to public art.

For example, in a recent public hearing in March 2024, City Council approved Peterson Group’s rezoning application for a site in the Oakridge area to build two 18-storey towers with 248 strata market condominium homes across 237,000 sq ft of total building floor area. As part of the required public benefits package, this project will provide a public art contribution of about $470,000.

Some precedent has also been set by the municipal government that enables developers to pool public art contributions from multiple rezoning applications towards one grander public project. Next to the Vancouver House tower, the giant spinning chandelier on the underside of the Granville Street Bridge was funded by the public art contributions of four rezonings by Westbank. This enabled Westbank to grow the kinetic chandelier’s budget fourfold to nearly $5 million, with the developer also responsible for ongoing maintenance costs.

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