March 3, 2021. Venues with a ‘sense of occurrence’ make us feel engaged and stimulated.

We sense the energy of the built surroundings and the people in them, prompting us to think, act and feel in new, unexpected ways.

These places “do not pass quickly before our eyes in the guise of objects we “know well” but on the contrary, hold our gaze, ask questions.”

They are accelerants for our senses, where we can watch discreetly from the edges and or choose to be watched at the centre of activities.

Importantly, these places are not over-stimulating, but intriguing, vibrant places with a changing cast of people, points of focus, composition and movement.

Photo: St Mary’s main lobby, Sechelt, British Columbia

Architects: Farrow Partners Architects, Associate Architects, Perkins Will

Photographer: Andrew Latreille