The Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG) has selected Formline Architecture and Urbanism, based in Vancouver, and KPMB Architects, based in Toronto, to design its new building at Larwill Park in downtown Vancouver. The announcement comes ten months after the museum abandoned a Herzog & de Meuron design due to a 50% cost increase, and after parting ways with director Anthony Kiendl. The VAG has outgrown its current 1913 courthouse home, and the new project was initiated 13 years ago by former director Kathleen Bartels. A preliminary design is expected next year, though no budget, timeline, or opening date has been revealed.
This selection matters because it marks a significant shift toward Canadian architectural leadership, fulfilling a pledge by donor Michael Audain, who committed C$100 million on condition that a Canadian architect be hired. The choice also emphasizes Indigenous design, with Formline’s Alfred Waugh bringing a vision rooted in Indigenous traditions. The project represents a major cultural investment for Vancouver and British Columbia, aiming to create a world-class museum that reflects the region's diversity and history.