HenriRobideau.ca

HenriRobideau.com

Organic Harbour Front Convention Centre

Vancouver Canada

 

July 29, 2013. I'm downtown with Fred Herzog on a photography walk. Behind the Vancouver Convention Centre we encounter THE DROP– a giant sky blue plastic and steel drip, created by Hans Hemmert, Axel Lieber, Thomas Schmidt and George Zey of the Berlin Germany art collective Inges Idee.

THE DROP was commissioned for the 2009 completion of the ecologically-correct Vancouver Convention Centre– broadcast headquarters for 10,000 international journalists during the 2010 Winter Olympics. Ironically, THE DROP was removed during the Olympics as it blocked an unimpeded TV view of the Vancouver harbour and North Shore mountains. Atop the Convention Centre is a six acre British Columbia indigenous plant grow op irrigated with poo water from the building’s toilets. No one is allowed on this “living roof.” The living basement is an artificial reef structure supporting sea life and the historic migration path for soon-to-be extinct salmon. Sandwiched in between the turf and surf is a one billion dollar box convention floor. From the air, it’s a lush garden. From the ground it’s a lavish 100% over budget construction project.

Henri Robideau 2013

Small photo captions:

(Left) Vancouver Convention Centre à la the Google helicopter

(Right) THE DROP à la the Google helicopter

Exhibited April 2015, Eraser Street show, grunt Gallery, Vancouver Canada

Exhibited April 2014, Winsor Gallery, Vancouver Canada