Ground has broken on a landmark cultural building in North Vancouver, Canada.

Currently being developed on a new waterfront plaza, the Polygon Gallery will display the country's largest collection of independent photography and host Canadian and international art exhibitions, public events and art education programmes.

The project, which is set to open in 2017, has been designed by Canadian studio Patkau Architects.

The 23,000sq ft (2,100sq m) building will feature a saw-tooth roof profile and fully glazed ground floor walls, which will create the impression the building is hovering in mid-air. In contrast, the upper level will be clad will crumpled shingles that shimmer under changing light conditions.

“The Polygon Gallery is a small building so to establish a distinct identity and allow it to hold its own within the waterfront context, the form is both simple and bold,” said the architects in a statement.

The gallery will have a lobby, gallery shop and waterfront bar on the ground level, which is visualised as an extension of the surrounding public realm. The major exhibition space will feature on the upper level, described by the architects as a “rugged, flexible, naturally top-lit exhibition space: an armature for artists and art”.

The construction has been supported by CAN$4m (US$2.8m, £1.9m, €2.6m) in donations from real estate company Polygon Homes and the Audain Foundation for the Visual Arts. A further CAN$7.5m (US$5.2m, £3.7m, €4.8m) has been provided by the federal, provincial and city governments.

"This stunning facility will provide a unique and innovative space to explore very high quality arts and culture in our community," said member of parliament for North Vancouver Jonathan Wilkinson. "I am impressed with the diverse range of funders that have been brought together in support of this endeavour and am proud that the Canadian government has made a significant contribution".

The gallery was previously operated in a different location as the Presentation House Gallery. In the past it has featured the work of acclaimed local visual artists Stan Douglas, Liz Magor and Ian Wallace and international figures such as Ansel Adams, Diane Arbus and Andy Warhol.