Page 218 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Pacific Northwest

216  V ANC OUVER

achievement for Vancouver at coliseum. The wraparound,
the time. With its symmetrical sand-colored, precast concrete
façades and 62-ft (19-m) neon colonnade occupies a full city
sign topped by a silhouette of block. The nine-story library
the Roman goddess Diana, the building features a dramatic
Vogue is a prominent landmark concourse, the ceiling soaring
on busy Granville Street. six stories overhead. The top
A National Historic Site two floors are occupied by
of Canada, the Vogue has the offices of the provincial
exceptional acoustics and government. Adjacent to the
hosts theater, live music, and library is a 21-story federal
movie events, including the government office tower.
Robson Street, Vancouver’s stylish Vancouver International Film Designed by Moshe Safdie &
shopping strip Festival every fall. Associates (designers of the
National Gallery of Canada in
7 Robson Street Ottawa) with DA Architects
(designers of Canada Place,
Map 2 E1.  Vancouver City Centre.
@ 5. ∑ robsonstreet.ca see p206) and opened in 1995,
the building was decried by
Once known as Robsonstrasse some as not fitting into the
due to a multitude of German Vancouver cityscape. The
businesses, Robson Street, named negative opinions have been
after former BC premier John toppled by the unanimous
Robson (1889–92), today boasts support the dramatic building
restaurants from just about every has subsequently received.
continent. Local urban chic, Engineered to high seismic
international celebrities, and standards, the building is
tourists alike flock here, making also notable because it is
people-watching from outdoor not cooled by air conditioning
cafés a popular pastime. but by an ecologically sound
Shopping is the street’s main The iconic Vogue Theatre, on Vancouver’s air circulation system.
attraction. Soaps, accessories, former Theatre Row More than 1.3 million items,
chocolates, lingerie, men’s wear, including books, periodicals,
and souvenirs are sold in stylish 9 Vancouver DVDs, CDs, and audiocassettes
shops stretching along Robson are housed in the 350,000-sq-ft
Street from Granville to Denman Central Library (32,500-sq-m) library space,
Streets. A women’s lingerie which draws over 7,000 people
(Victoria’s Secret) megastore 350 W Georgia St. Map 3 A3. daily. Items are transported
Tel (604) 331-3603.  Vancouver
at the corner of Robson and City Centre, Stadium. @ 5, 17. through the building via
Burrard Streets is located in the Open 10am–9pm Mon–Thu, vertical and horizontal
old Vancouver Public Library 10am–6pm Fri & Sat, 11am–6pm Sun. conveyor belts.
building, constructed in 1957. Closed major hols. 7 - = special On the impressive concourse
A sentimental favorite among events. ∑ vpl.ca there are several cafés, where
locals, it is famous for being the visitors can pause for a drink or
city’s first modernist glass-curtain Imaginative and daring, the a light snack. During the warmer
building. Some traces of the design of the Vancouver Central months, the outdoor plaza is
original structure remain. Library was inspired by a Roman a popular meeting place.
All stores on Robson Street
are open seven days a week,
with extended evening hours.

8 Vogue Theatre
918 Granville St. Map 2 F3. Tel (604)
569-1144 (box office); (604) 688-1975
(general inquiries).  Vancouver
City Centre. @ 5. Open Box office:
10am–6pm Mon–Sat, noon–4pm Sun.
∑ voguetheatre.com
Designed in 1940 by Kaplan
& Sprachman, the glamorous
Art Deco Vogue Theatre was
a defining architectural The elliptical coliseum-style colonnade of the Vancouver Central Library
For hotels and restaurants see p290 and pp302–3

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