Olympic Plaza Transformation, Calgary, Canada for Werklund Centre and The City of Calgary with Calgary Municipal Land Corporation, gh3 Architecture, CCxA Landscape Architecture and Belleville Placemaking

Olympic Plaza Transformation, Calgary, Canada for Werklund Centre and The City of Calgary with Calgary Municipal Land Corporation, gh3 Architecture, CCxA Landscape Architecture and Belleville Placemaking

 

The Olympic Plaza Transformation (OPT) will revitalize a 35-year-old outdoor urban gathering place and cultural landmark as a modern, public space that connects with the expansion of an existing arts facility to create a complete ‘campus’ experience. The integrated transformation of the plaza with the adjacent Werklund Centre will enliven a historic downtown block by providing flexible public space that can accommodate a wide range of events and programming for up to 5,000 people, and can be enjoyed and accessed by the public year-round.

 

 

Describe the context of this project, its neighbourhood and people.

 

OPT’s design re-imagines the spatial arrangement of the site to create a civic landmark that is welcoming, inclusive and accessible to all, flexible in its activation, and meaningful to Calgarians. The landscape and architecture of the new Olympic Plaza provide an inspirational framework for evolving future programming needs of the Werklund Centre campus, the downtown core and Calgary at large. The space is designed as a thoughtful and adaptable public space designed to operate at multiple scales – as a ‘town square’ for an evolving downtown neighbourhood, a civic asset at the heart of the city and a world-class destination for culture and art. The site will be a magnet for daily life year-round, and will enable all scales of programming, festivals and events as a new performance venue in the Werklund Centre campus. More than a front landing, it will become a destination for performances on special days, and a stage for the theatre of the everyday. The visual iconography of the 1988 Olympic emblem inspires a radiating ‘sunflake’ with concentric rows of stone paving, serving as a centre point for the layout of the space, structuring the active edges of terraces, lounges and the pavilion while unifying the Plaza to the existing Werklund Centre facility. A central water feature reinforces the Olympic memory anchoring the plaza with an animated water basin in summer and an ice rink in winter. On the east side of the plaza, the pavilion reinforces pedestrian scale and activates the plaza’s eastern edge.

 

Please describe your approach to this future place and its mix of uses. How will it function as a vibrant place? How does it knit into and serve the needs of the wider area?

 

OPT prioritizes efficient water use, durable materials, and multi-modal accessibility as key components of its sustainability strategy. OPT’s water feature will use a closed-loop recirculation system designed to alleviate pressure on the municipal network. Water from the central water feature will be purified, recirculated, treated and refiltered, ensuring minimal water usage. A storage tank in the pavilion basement will hold water for reuse, to minimize loss from evaporation. The plaza’s paver design includes micrograding, which separates storm water from recirculated water. Surface stormwater will be directed to a combination of at-grade planting beds and subsurface soil cells, supplying water for trees and landscaping featuring weather-resilient plants suited to Calgary’s variable climate. Overflow valves will ensure excess water is safely managed through The City’s storm water system. This approach supports the surrounding urban landscaping, while meeting on-site stormwater retention targets. Sustainable and low-carbon materials are intended to be used to reduce the project’s carbon footprint, while prioritizing long-term durability and maintenance. A new skating rink system replaces a 40-year-old compressor with a new high-efficiency system that uses glycol loops near the ice surface, reducing energy requirements for operations. Finally, OPT is strategically served by two major LRT lines, and is on a major pedestrian and cycling route, enabling those who will visit the site to access it via sustainable modes of transportation. The plaza’s new design intentionally minimizes grade transitions, and will accommodate a range of mobility needs.

 

What is the social and environmental impact of the project? For example, how will the carbon use and material impact of the development be mitigated? What is the sustainability strategy? How will this future place contribute to the economic, environmental and social wellbeing of its citizens? 

 

OPT reflects the city’s broader commitment to fostering arts, culture, and community while revitalizing the downtown core. As part of the expanded Werklund Centre campus, OPT will bring immediate and ongoing economic benefits, supporting the city’s tourism and hospitality sector, and expanding opportunities for local artists, performers and audiences to experience the arts. The redesigned plaza improves on the constraints of the former site, improving accessibility and sightlines by levelling the grade across the site, and providing power and water hook-ups to enable programming adaptability. The space is also designed with inclusivity and safety in mind. Law enforcement and social support providers were engaged throughout the design process, and OPT’s design provides well-lit spaces, clear sightlines, and a new indoor pavilion with public washrooms to ensure the space is consistently well-monitored and activated. The OPT design features a range of improved amenities including:
 
 • An accessible and flexible outdoor gathering space that enables a range of day-to-day uses that can also accommodate large-scale events of up to 5,000 people.
 
 • A striking central water feature and splash pad, surrounded by programmable space to support year-round gatherings, performances, and events. In the winter, this area will transform into an ice-skating surface.
 
 • A pavilion offering indoor and outdoor seating, food and beverage services, and staffed public washrooms.
 
 • Power and water hook-ups to support a range of gatherings and maximize the site’s functionality and flexibility.