As a bit of background, the new Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre was built as an addition to the existing centre, Canada Place, which was completed just prior to the 1986 World’s Fair, Expo86. Since then, it has held thousands of conventions and exhibitions, and has welcomed millions of cruise ship passengers to our fine city. When Vancouver won the 2010 Winter Olympic bid, it was time to get to work on an addition, with a focus on sustainable practices, and a desire to complement the existing centre.

Designed by Seattle-based LMN Architects, in association with MCM Partnership and DA Architects and Planners (who partnered back in the 80’s to design the iconic ’sail’ roof structure of Canada Place), the West Building plans called for a massive infill on the shores of Coal Harbour – 40% of the building would be built on what was, at the time, nothing more than a bunch of rocks and silt meters under the water. Construction began in 2004, and after a few years, the new peninsula was finally complete, and the building started to grow.

Tripling the conference and exhibition space in the complex, the new Vancouver Convention Centre was built to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certification standards, and is designated a Powersmart Convention Centre by BC Hydro. The most visible environmentally-friendly feature is the massive six-acre green ‘living roof’, maintained by Holland Landscapers and PWL Partnership, which provides a place for over 400,000 various indigenous plants, along with all the insects and wildlife that discover them (there are even a few bee hives to keep it all going). In addition, the building features a fish habitat built right into the foundations, seawater heating and cooling (similar to Canada Place), grey and black water recycling, and on-site water treatment.

The new VCC building, also referred to as the West Building to differentiate it from the East Building at Canada Place, is surrounded in floor-to-ceiling glass, offering breathtaking views of downtown, Coal Harbour, Burrard Inlet, and the North Shore mountains. The interior walls were inspired by stacks of lumber, which have been a common sight since the birth of the city – the locally-harvested Hemlock boards were assembled into panels by machine. The lighting and other design elements contribute to the festive atmosphere and all work together to complement the interior and exterior views.

Coming in at just under $900 million, the expansion was an estimated 4 hundred million dollars over budget, and proved to be a touchy subject for the politically-minded. The rapid cost increase of an economic slowdown, and the requirement of extra pilings sometime into construction are the key factors. However, it’s difficult to argue the elegance of the structure, and the sheer fact that this building – 1.1 million square feet of space, and the size of 4 city blocks – blends into the waterfront so seamlessly it risks going unnoticed. Magic, I tell you!

Connecting with Canada Place to the east, and surrounded by a continuation of the Seawall (a continuous waterfront recreational path stretching from Coal Harbour all the way around the coastline to Spanish Banks), the new Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Project included the creation of Thurlow Plaza, to the west of the centre. If you’re looking for an un-obscured view of the mountains on the North Shore, this is the place. It’s one of the largest outdoor public spaces in the city, and a great spot to visit at night when the walls inside the convention centre glow, and the lights sparkle across the water and on top of Grouse Mountain. It also provides a pretty good vantage point to see the lights of downtown, including the long green-blue strip on Shaw Tower.

When 2010 arrives and the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games come to town, the centre will be host to the International Broadcast Center, inviting an estimated 7,000 broadcasters to cover the Games. Afterwards, a number of public art pieces are said to be installed, and the retail spaces along the seawall will be open to businesses. Can’t wait to grab a coffee on a patio overlooking the harbour.

I wasn’t sure about the building during construction. I couldn’t help but draw comparisons to late-70s spaceship designs, but now that it’s complete, I’ve been won over. Already, I’ve made sure to mention to any visiting friends that this is not a sight to miss. Vancouver through and through, the new Vancouver Convention Centre is an outstanding achievement.

For more shots, be sure to check out my Vancouver Convention Centre set on Flickr.

We found our seats, and the house lights soon began to dim. The stage, obscured by the grid of a large metal curtain illuminated from above, remained still as the orchestra came to life. Then slowly, characters began to reveal themselves. An odd collection, circus-like in their costumes and mannerisms. A woman on the trapeze, and a man on stilts- some 4 ft high. Red lights, yellow lights, bright white, and deep blue.. The set, a great cage elevated 8ft above the stage, contained the spectacle and presented it for all to see. It was a modern take on a traditional opera – a different interpretation, allowing an old story to reach a new audience. Here is my prize, it said. You may watch, but you mustn’t touch, for the players are dangerous, and the consequences tragic.

Lights faded in and out, from the left and from the right, and jesters, quiet and steady, animated props with practiced precision. A solitary soprano, perched atop a crescent moon, reached out for her love. Eglise Gutierrez, as Gilda, sang sweeter than any songbird ever could. Her voice, rich and pure, spoke to the soul as her melodies dipped, jumped, and soared to every seat in the house. Darkness, and a deserved ovation led us to intermission.

Vancouver Opera was happy to greet us again as we entered the salon to enjoy assorted desserts and opinions. I gave my take on the performance in an impromptu interview, comparing Rigoletto to The Phantom (does that count as blasphemy?) Regardless, the clip is on youtube, so I’ll let you be the judge.

In no time, the bells rang and the show continued. Alterations to the set helped to ensure the cage didn’t grow tiresome, and the musical delights only got better. By the end, I was positive that I had made a good decision in coming to see Rigoletto. The tragic, and abrupt ending, was so unexpected in a world where big screen movies drag on and on, or conclude with all loose ends tied up nicely.

This, along with the evident popularity of the event, is perhaps a sign that Opera may well be on the rise… If they continue to reach out to a younger generation, perhaps someday we’ll hear about Gutierrez, or Eichelberger, or Bruce Sledge, or Donnie Ray Albert, on entertainment blogs. Why bother with Jennifer Aniston, when there are people with such incredible talent just waiting to be seen?

Or perhaps that’s the thrill of the opera: mystery, intrigue, drama, and emotion… transcendent joy, and unexpected sorrow.. never twice the same, and always dependent on the viewer’s perception.