Deconstructing/Reconstructing Woodward's: A Flip Book

The real life story of the redevelopment of Woodwards cannot be captured in images alone. There is a larger collective meaning this deconstruction embodies for the people who squatted, worked, lobbied, shopped, lived and dreamed over the past 18 years since the closure of the flagship store. This little flipbook celebrates the demolition and construction of this historic site, now housing The Woodwards Experiment which is in its infancy. The book documents six years, from 2004 to 2010, in the evolution of the former abandoned Woodwards Department Store into the Inclusive City, which it is today. This is not a demolition, but instead a resurrection of the economic and social heart of the historic district surrounding the Hastings and Abbott Streets in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, Canada.

Henriquez Partners Architects, founded in 1969, is an architectural studio in Vancouver, Canada. A commitment to design and socially responsible community development is intrinsic to their philosophy. Their buildings have received design awards for architectural excellence, including the Governor General's Medals for the Lore Krill Housing Coop, the Trent Environmental Sciences Building and the Sinclair Centre Federal Office Complex.

The studio has led and completed large-scale projects including the $330M Woodwards Redevelopment and complex midsize research facilities such as the LEED Gold BC Cancer Research Centre. However, no project is too small if it contributes to the community. Recent work includes the Dunbar Community Centre and the York Theatre heritage renewal. Henriquez Partners has demonstrated an ability to organize and manage projects from design through to construction. The firm also has the technical expertise to build buildings that stand the test of time. The integration of the poetic and the ethical are the focus of their practice.