The Gastown Drive-in paid homage to Vancouver with a contemporary spin on a nostalgic experience. For three evenings in September 2008, the roof level of the EasyPark parkade in Gastown was transformed into a drive-in for both car-equipped and pedestrian audiences in a celebration of BC films. The inaugural “Vancouver Stars As Itself” film series screened selected shorts and feature films shot in part or wholly within the Metro Vancouver area.
The strength of project lies in the thoughtful adaptation of roof topography, understanding the cycle of parking demand and the fit of the proposed programming with the social and cultural context. As with many downtown parking garages, the city-owned car park is full during the day and nearly empty at night. This diurnal cycle offered the possibility to temporarily expand and enhance the public realm at night in neighbourhood with a shortage of outdoor public spaces.
The provocative venue for the film series drew in new and broader audiences for BC film, and sparked us to re-imagine the city’s functional infrastructure as a social and cultural resource.
