Part of:

People:

Cornelia Hahn Oberlander (archive creator)
Cornelia Hahn Oberlander (landscape architect)
Moshe Safdie (architect)
Downs, Archambault & Partners (architectural firm)

Title:

Library Square, Vancouver, British Columbia (1992-1995)

Date:

1989-2009

Level of archival description:
Project

Extent and medium:

0.37 l.m. of textual records
688 drawings (including 643 reprographic copies)
47 photographs
2 graphic materials

Scope and content:
Project series documents Cornelia Hahn Oberlander’s project for the landscape design for Library Square, the new central branch of the Vancouver’s public library on West Georgia Street. Oberlander worked on this project in 1992-1995 with architect Moshe Safdie and architectural firm Downs/Archambault & Patners. Oberlander landscape design included a roof garden, planned to be accessible by the public, and terraces with integral planting of cascading roses of the southeast edge of the building. She was also consulted for the landscape for the street-level spaces: “Along the streets bordering the site, Oberlander selected tulip trees, except on W. Georgia Street where the city required maples.” [1] The project was completed in 1995.

The project series contains sketches, design development drawings, including planting plans, landscape plans for the green roof and the plaza, working drawings, such as site plans, planting plans, irrigation plans, landscape sections and elevations, and drawings of the building used as reference. The project is also recorded through textual records, such as concept notes by Oberlander, research material, specifications, including landscape specifications, correspondence, including correspondence with architects, client and contractors, contract, financial documents, documents for plan selection, and press and articles on the project. The project series also includes photographs of the construction and landscaping work, and photographs of the completed project.

Source:
[1] Herrington, Susan. Cornelia Hahn Oberlander: Making the Modern Landscape, University of Virginia Press, 2014, 304 pages. p. 176.

Reference number:

AP075.S1.1992.PR01

Arrangement:
Material in this project series was kept in its original order when it was first processed upon its arrival at CCA.

Location:

Vancouver British Columbia Canada

Related units of description:

See also AP075.S1.2012.PR02 for more documents related to the Vancouver Public Library building.