Robson Square

Robson Square Review

Architect Arthur Erickson designed this refurbished plaza to be the gathering place of downtown Vancouver, although its below-street-level access makes it a bit of a secret. Landscaped walkways connect the Vancouver Art Gallery, government offices, and law courts at street level while the lower level houses a University of British Columbia satellite campus and bookstore. In winter, there's also a covered, outdoor, public ice skating rink; in summer the rink becomes a dance floor for weekly (free) salsa sessions. Political protests and impromptu demonstrations take place on the grandiose gallery stairs facing Georgia Street, a tradition that dates from the days when the building was a courthouse.