[ad_1]
Calgary officials recently announced a $660 million project that will transform the city’s Arts Commons campus, a multidisciplinary cultural center completed in 1985. Hailed as the largest arts-focused infrastructure project currently underway in Canada.
Design architects include KPMB Architects, Hindle Architects and Tawaw Architecture Collective. The Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC), the City of Calgary and its partners in Arts Commons are also part of the development team.
The art sharing renovation is part of a wider plan to transform Olympic Plaza, called the Olympic Plaza Transformation. The Art Commons’ new venue will be located at Olympic Plaza and create new landscape and urban design elements, including new steps that follow the site’s topography and guide visitors inward.
Today, Arts Commons is one of Canada’s most prominent cultural forums. This multi-building complex is home to six resident companies and has 560,000 square feet of floor space; it occupies an entire city block and is located across from Olympic Plaza and the Calgary Municipal Building.
The Arts Commons Transformation Project will culminate in the construction of a new three-storey building to enhance Calgary’s growing arts community. The 162,000-square-foot complex will increase Arts Commons’ seating capacity by 45 percent with two new theaters.
Renderings show a structure that tapers upwards, reminiscent of Alvar Aalto’s Finland Pavilion at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. A dramatic cantilever cascades over the square, supported by sloping columns. The spacious hall inside has wooden slats on either side of the windows. In the center of the space, a curved staircase faces a soft green color that serves as a sculptural element.
The upcoming 1,000-seat theater will be able to change its floor layout into several unique configurations. This will accommodate the widest range of productions. Meanwhile, a 200-seat soundstage theater will also allow for a variety of configurations, with retractable and removable platform seating that opens to the plaza. To maximize accessibility, the main floor of the Arts Commons will be flush with the adjacent pedestrian area for barrier-free access.
“I have always been impressed by this city’s fearless hope for the future,” said Alex Sarian, President and CEO of Arts Commons. “Today, not only are we showcasing stunning new designs, we are coming together to celebrate The largest cultural infrastructure project currently underway in Canada is a truly unique and unique Calgary project, reimagined as an integral part of the Arts Commons campus along with the transformation of Olympic Plaza, a key component of downtown revitalization. Pillar, and a timely response to the city’s growing need for flexible, accessible arts, cultural venues that support diverse and relevant programming.
“At the heart of the Arts Commons transformation project is the creation of a new performing arts space ‘by Calgary, for Calgary’, a place where everyone is welcome,” said Kevin Bridgman, partner at KPMG. “This simple yet powerful idea inspired us to design a purpose-built facility that reflects the spirit of the community it serves, is closely connected to its history and culture, and is designed with respect for its surroundings.”
“The expansion’s curved form, exterior cladding and interior decoration were inspired by Alberta’s spectacular landscape and regional hotel typologies,” Bridgman continued. “With a naturally lit, fully transparent ground floor, the design team placed great emphasis on the southeast corner, where a gathering circle with skylights provides a space that welcomes Calgarians and encourages visitors to gather together and share stories.”
Construction will start in late 2024 and be completed in 2029.
[ad_2]
Source link