Granville Mall Activation Project

Halifax (Kjipuktuk), N.S. - Downtown Halifax Business Commission (DHBC) is proud to unveil The Blooming Seating, just in time for Nocturne: Art at Night 2022. The Blooming Seating is a playful art piece built, and now located, at Granville Mall’s outdoor historic plaza. Pedestrians are encouraged to use the art as public seating, and to admire the true collaboration that went into building this piece.

“Led by our placemaking program, this project started as a way to kick-start economic recovery and stimulate consumer confidence,” says Paul MacKinnon, CEO of DHBC. “We’re seeing a lot of cities and main streets put effort into community‐led tactical placemaking projects to help create places for people to gather and connect. Increasing foot traffic Downtown is always our end goal.”

With funding received from the Nova Scotia COVID-19 response council at Dalhousie University (through the Province of Nova Scotia), DHBC worked with OSO planning + design to create The Blooming Seating.

“We pulled in designers and artists from all over the province to create a vibrant and inviting installation which contributes a sense of playfulness to the space through light, color, comfort, and movement,” says Michael MacLean, Founding Partner of OSO planning + design. “It’s inspired by materials and forms seen on our waterfronts and takes hints from our rich local culture of textile craft and artists.”

Textile artist and lead weaver on The Blooming Seating, Dakota (Indigo) Burpee, explains that the woven seating was experimental in many ways.

“The materials used, the scale of the pieces, the shape of frames, the weaving technique (in my experience) is often used to create cloth rather than a structural piece,” says Burpee. "It was exciting to weave in this way of having the structural integrity at the forefront of the making. While maintaining durability we really want the pieces to encourage play and interaction from the community through its inviting shapes, texture and vibrant colours."

The Anna Leonowens Gallery (The Anna), located in the Granville Mall, quickly became an early supporter of the project, providing everything from inspiration on what that space was lacking, to power and shelter when needed.

“The fact that they took an open approach while building, allowing the community to interact with them and ask questions as they created was so much fun to watch,” says Kate Walchuk, Exhibitions Coordinator, The Anna.

The Blooming Seating project came together because of a lot of key partners and supporters. Other special mentions are Sal McKinnell (design support), Jen Frail, Andrew Gilmour, Adria Maynard, and Rose Burpee (weave support), and Velocity Fabrication and Nova Tree (project materials).

You can visit this vibrant art installation anytime in the Granville Mall’s outdoor historic plaza. During Nocturne (October 13-15), the piece will be illuminated and DHBC is encouraging participation through an interactive feedback forum.

For more information on The Blooming Seating, visit downtownhalifax.ca/granvillemall.

Find other DHBC placemaking projects by visiting downtownhalifax.ca/arttour.

Land Acknowledgement:
Downtown Halifax Business Commission acknowledges that we are in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People. This territory is covered by the “Treaties of Peace and Friendship” which Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) Peoples first signed with the British Crown in 1725. The treaties did not deal with surrender of lands and resources but in fact recognized Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) title and established the rules for what was to be an ongoing relationship between nations.

About Downtown Halifax Business Commission (DHBC):
Downtown Halifax Business Commission represents over 1,600 businesses located in the central business district of Halifax, Nova Scotia. DHBC’s mission is to passionately pursue a more prosperous and vibrant Downtown Halifax, through good development, Downtown mobility, membership services, DHBC leadership, and Downtown placemaking. For more information, visit downtownhalifax.ca.

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For media inquiries please contact:

Jayme Lynn Butt
Communications Manager
Downtown Halifax Business Commission (DHBC)
jayme@downtownhalifax.ca