Granville Island is a collection of so many types of public spaces packed into one destination. It is a positive, disruptive example of what is possible in every city if they prioritize the revitalization of public life. It's Canada’s biggest visitor destination after Niagara Falls thanks to a stunning array of cultural facilities, markets, play areas, water activities, restaurants and waterfront views. It is characterized by an intensity of activity defined by a great variety of activities, commercial offerings, waters edge activations, sports, art, culture, entertainment, and play areas.
It is a high energy, multi-layered, authentic place that can be considered the "heart" of Vancouver. It could almost be called the modern day Tivoli Gardens – the beloved pleasure garden in Copenhagen that inspired the Disney universe.
The Magic of Granville Island
In 2010, we hosted a two-day forum of planners, developers and city officials at Granville Island. Drawing inspiration from the island, we discussed what makes a great multi-use destination. Here's what we learned:
- Public multi-use destinations like Granville Island have proven to be very popular and successful, so we should replicate them more often. Why do we spend so much money on new developments that don’t work and that don’t attract people when we have amazing examples of ones that do?
- Don’t lead with design. The design of multi-use destinations should be to create a “setting” for the uses that are occurring and that emphasize the products and the authentic aspects of the place.
- The importance of government learning to say “yes” to new ideas and developing stronger more trusting relationships with the private sector.
- “If you think you’re done, you’re finished” – Develop spaces that are flexible, dynamic, and that “manage themselves.” Ongoing and innovative management are key to creating vibrant multi-use destinations.
- “The magic is in the mix.” We are moving beyond the simple concept of “mixed use” toward a technique of development that builds authentic places through establishing settings and uses that are intimately related, interconnected and interdependent. True sustainability comes from the relationships between uses, tenants, and the organizations within a place.
- Find creative funding strategies to keep rents low, attract a range of tenants and incentivize the presence of tenants who may not produce a lot of money for the site, but who bring a lot of foot traffic and are invested in the area.
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Exploring Granville Island - A Visual Tour
Working Waterfront
Boat repair and concrete distribution center
Edges and water-based activities
Granville Island Markets
Granville Island Public Market: the heart of the island
Market interior
Market in action
Market waterfront plaza
Main market buildings from the water
Craft market building
Railspur Alley
Kids' market
False Creek Community Center and Granville Arts Umbrella
Granville Island Water Park
The Hotel
Bridges Restaurant
From the Water
House Boats
Water-based activities
People
Granville Island feels like its own small city, designed with the goal of being an interesting and joyful place to be. This is why it is such a popular and memorable destination. It teaches us how great places are characterized by a high density of activations in close proximity to each other, distinct areas with offerings for every interest, and a mix of entertainment, play, shopping, rest, refreshment, and exploration areas. Granville Island embodies the saying – the more the merrier – and just a quick glance at its visitors will show they are merry indeed.
Who we are
The Global Placemaking Movement: Next Steps
Imagine if the places where we live were walkable and shaped by our social lives, re-imagined to make it easy for us to gather, shop, have fun, eat together, and meet new people. With this mindset, we would fundamentally change our communities, and collectively have an impact on the health of our planet.
The mission of the Social Life Project is to incite a renaissance of community connection in public spaces around the globe. Through our online publication, presentations, campaigns, and catalytic projects, we can create transformative impact on communities everywhere. Our work grows out of more than 50 years devoted to building the global placemaking movement. It is an initiative of the Placemaking Fund, along with PlacemakingX — a global network of leaders who together accelerate placemaking as a way to create healthy, inclusive, and beloved communities. We gladly accept donations to advance our work.
Together, we can restore public spaces to their essential role: providing social gathering spots that enrich local life by connecting people, and empowering them to create stronger communities.
Join our campaign by sharing your stories of successful public spaces with Social Life Project, offering up ideas or resources for a Placemaking Resource Center in your community, joining the PlacemakingX network, or identifying key areas in your town that could be a fit for transformative change along with the 11 agendas. Help us start conversations at the local and regional levels about the vital need for community-led placemaking. We invite you to join our ongoing dialogue – for the future of all our public spaces!
