West Pender Place's Lighting Feature Has Neighbours Upset

In recent years Vancouver has taken steps to brighten up it’s downtown core with some lighting effects on select buildings. Well it seems one building in particular, West Pender Place in Coal Harbour, has the neighbours up in arms as the supposed non intrusive LED displays have caused quite the stir. Perhaps the suburbs are where people should look to live if they want to avoid the noise and light pollution of downtown. Or maybe send them to Hong Kong and show them how lighting can accentuate the city’s buildings and to the urban fabric. 

The installation was designed by Dutch artist Tamar Frank at a cost of $400,000 to building developer Reliance Properties. It’s designed to change colours as it illuminates the blank, grey wall. It was a refreshing touch in a city where blandness was running rampant. The lights where on all night, however, now will be shut off at 10pm. That seems to be a fair compromise. The city has stated that they will not take the installation down. I hope they stand by that statement and not succumb to public pressure.

In a city that is bleak and grey for half the year it’s nice to see lighting on buildings. It adds some visual appeal, but then again I don’t live across the street from the building. But if people can live across the street from Science World, Roger’s Arena, surely these NIMBY’s can put up with lights.

I wonder how neighbours will react to the lighting at B.C. Place?

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