Bing Thom Architects

“Since 1980, Bing Thom Architects (BTA) has been collaborating with and advising cultural institutions, corporations, universities, governments, developers and communities around the world to help them successfully achieve their building aspirations” (From the Bing Thom Website)

The Chan Centre

Social Media

Website ^[1]/Facebook ^[2]/Twitter ^[3]/Flick ^[4]/Pamphlet ^[5]

In addition to all the traditional methods of reaching out to students, BTA proposed articles in the newspaper, blogs, a Flickr account (students would be able to add photos of things they had seen and fallen in love with in order to offer the architects inspiration). I really like that BTA think outside the box; it is evident in all of their ideas. Having architects who think outside the box will be crucial if we want a building that will be a building of pride for students.

Presentation

Something that really impressed me about BTA was that in order to make sure their designs work and are user friendly; they build full-scale replicas of their design in their parking lot! The idea behind the full-scale models is that in order to work out problems in design, the architects need to be able to see the problem. Their presentation really showed how problems are identified and how they find the best solution possible for the problem.

Their approach to sustainability was unique in the sense that instead of looking at our ecological footprint, they focus on our ecological handprint. The idea behind this is that in order to be the most sustainable, one must look to each habit we have and find the most sustainable action we can replace the unsustainable habits that we do have. The idea that a building should be part of the landscape and should blend seems to be somewhat of a principle for BTA. This is going to be so important for the SUB because of our location in the heart of campus.

Consultation

The best thing about Bing Thom’s approach to consultation was that in additional to the conventional meetings that they would hold to consult with students, they talked about different types of consultation methods they have used in the past which are totally outside of the box. One of the examples was asking users to help design furniture using play-do! They really had a grasp on what students will need from this building, they were able to relate and reach out to students. Not only did BTA look to current students to consult about problems in the current SUB, they went through our archives to find problems we faced when the building first opened!

Quick! Build me a bookcase!

The Team

Each team member was very through with his or her answers to the questions. Each person’s passion and expertise was evident. I liked that BTA made it a point to mention that they were willing to stand up for their client; something that will come in handy in a project with the partnerships that we have. The team also understood the way the AMS operates and the amount of turnover that happens each year. I liked that the team didn’t seem inflated; each person had a very specific purpose and would contribute meaningfully to the project. All of the major components of our project were considered and looked after.

Criticism

One of the biggest things that annoyed me about their presentation was a just an oversight on their part. On their presentation board there is a UBC logo. It isn’t really a big deal, but it is so important to the SUB project that the architect selection and the final product be part of the AMS.

Overall

Frankly, this firm really got me excited about this project, and I was excited to begin with! I really liked this firm because their passion and their dedication to the project really shone through. The Chan Centre is one of my favourite buildings on campus, and I love the principles that have been applied to that building.  I have faith that BTA will be able to put the SUB on the radar of students. They understand the dynamics on campus and in the AMS. I completely agree that the SUB needs to be a collision space for people with different backgrounds; the human connection on campus is missing. The SUB should be a like no other building on campus, Bing Thom Architects have all the tools to make that happen.