Renowned city architect Joe Wai passed away January 11, leaving behind a legacy of contributions to his community and city. He is best known for his roles with the Sun Yat Sen Garden, Chinese Cultural Centre Archives and Museum complex, Chinatown Millennium Gate, Vancouver Native Housing Society’s Skwachàys Healing Lodge, and the restoration of the historic Chinese Freemasons Building. In the late 1960’s he was involved in stopping freeways in Vancouver, and in the 1970’s, revitalizing Strathcona, which became a model of urban re-development in Canada. His professional firm specialized in community-oriented architecture in Vancouver’s Chinatown, including affordable housing for Chinese-Canadians, First Nations, and the Downtown Eastside.
What False Creek South residents may not know is that Joe played a key role in the re-imagining and transformation of this tired brownfield land and waterway into a unique and beautiful neighbourhood, after about 100 years of heavy industrial use.
It was around 1970 when Joe, a young architectural intern with Thompson Berwick & Pratt (TBP), commenced a project that would go on to transform the Creek.. He and a few colleagues were lamenting the state of the neglected industrial False Creek basin. So, Joe, Bob Furukowa, Richard Rabnett and Paul Merrick started a voluntary study group, which met Wednesday evenings in a Strathcona basement and set out to address one of the city’s most important planning questions: What is the future of False Creek?
Their answer would shape the Creek and modern Vancouver.
This self-directed study group, fueled with curiosity, energy, commitment and beer, increased in the ensuing two years to about twenty people with rich professional credentials. Their work solidified into a sprawling “joint thesis” with the mission of creating ideal inner city neighbourhoods embedded with public amenities for all of Vancouver.
Major challenges for the team included:
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the complexities and environmental impact of False Creek industrial lands
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how to re-purpose industrial waterways & waterfront lands into parks, seawall walkways
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the creation of high quality inner city residential neighbourhoods that are compact and safe, with affordable family housing, for Vancouverites from all walks of life
Principles which guided their work in this redevelopment process included:
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pedestrian oriented residential neighbourhoods with limited vehicle access
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neighbourhood vitality
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picturesque paths with native landscaping, employing “pattern language” design descriptions for key public spaces
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compact residential enclaves as an alternative to mid-rise densities,
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ideal safe family residential enclaves, “semi-public” landscaped courtyards, enclosed and overviewed by “semi-private” townhouses