Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC), together with partners Arts Commons and City of Calgary, have named the design team for the expansion and renewal of Arts Commons, one of Canada’s largest and most vibrant arts centres, through the Arts Commons Transformation (ACT) project.
Toronto-based KPMB will lead the team which includes Tawaw Architecture Collective Inc., Calgary-based Hindle Architects, and SLA, a design studio out of Denmark.
KPMB has expertise in major arts and theatre projects, including Toronto’s Massey Hall and the Allied Music Centre, the Royal Conservatory TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning, Minneapolis’s Orchestra Hall, Toronto’s TIFF Bell Lightbox, Boston University’s Center for Computer and Data Sciences, and the Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity. Tawaw, which is headed by Calgarian Wanda Dalla Costa, Canada’s first female First Nations architect, will ensure the Indigenous perspective is thoughtfully and meaningfully woven into all aspects of the design. And Hindle Architects is a local firm with a history of successful projects around Calgary.
“Drawing from our deeply rooted practice and our extensive experience in this realm, our strong, creative and responsive project team is energized by the opportunity to revitalize Arts Commons and create an inclusive, vibrant and resilient place that will serve as both a catalyst for cultural growth and a healing force for Calgarians and the city—especially during these challenging times,” said the design team in a statement.
Arts Commons, currently home to five theatres and the world-class Jack Singer Concert Hall, will be transformed over two phases. The first phase—now fully funded—will see the expansion of Arts Commons, adding new performance venues and support areas with thoughtful connections to the current building. The second phase, the modernization of the existing Arts Commons, will follow once funding is secured. The project scope for KPMB and the design team encompasses both phases.
“A thriving creative sector is essential to making Calgary a more resilient city. Arts Commons is one of the main pillar projects that will give our city a much-needed boost — it will catalyze growth, diversify our economic drivers and draw even more people to the downtown core,” stated Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek.
Calgary-based PCL Construction, which was awarded the contract for the project’s pre-construction services, will work alongside the prime design team to ensure the design process is aligned with future construction planning.
The team expects to reveal the new design in fall 2022. The first phase of construction is scheduled to begin in 2024
