INTERIOR DESIGN
we gave special consideration to the historic significance of the brick and masonry construction that typifies early 20th century Calgary. Acknowledging this historic context, our design gives a contemporary expression to the tradition of the retail street.
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The main development extends through three storeys across the Alberta and Hull Blocks, and includes 7 shops with street frontage, 18 shops with interior access, and cafe spaces.
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The development was created by opening the interior space of both blocks to create a common floor plate centered on a skylit atrium, with an open staircase encircled by glass-railed terraces at each storey.
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The MacNaughten Block, now home to a shoe retailer, was developed by raising the roof of a single storey building and adding a mezzanine level enclosed by the exterior walls of the neighboring buildings.
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Glazed interior storefronts are demised at oblique angles, creating a kinetic impression of space that functions to increase the visibility of signage and displays.
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The interior is unified with coloured finishes and polished metal accents that tie into the centre’s branding.
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All three blocks are part of the Stephen Avenue National Historic Site of Canada.
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The MacNaughten Block, now home to a shoe retailer, was developed by raising the roof of a single storey building and adding a mezzanine level enclosed by the exterior walls of the neighboring buildings. A new double-height glazed façade was added, contrasting the masonry of the adjacent Alberta and Hull blocks. Tenant fit-out in the MacNaughten block was carried out by others.
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Much of the building envelope is the original brick and sandstone, restored and cleaned to retain the heritage quality of the building. The design maximizes the limited light entering the building through existing window penetrations by using glazed partitions for the interior storefronts. In addition, a large skylight caps the atrium and stairwell, bringing daylight deep into the inner floorplate through all three levels.
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The design simultaneously acknowledges the historic context, while giving a contemporary expression to the tradition of the retail street.
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The main development extending through the Alberta and Hull Blocks includes 7 shops with street frontage, 18 shops with interior access, and cafe spaces.
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In the Alberta and Hull blocks, glazed interior storefronts are demised at oblique angles, creating a kinetic impression of space that functions to increase the visibility of signage and displays.
Awards:
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Downtown Vitality Awards - Heritage Restoration
FASHION CENTRAL
This adaptive reuse project involved a combination of rehabilitation and significant modifications to three historic buildings on Calgary’s Stephen Avenue.
The project involved creating common floor plates through two adjacent buildings, the Alberta and Hull blocks, to create an open atrium and stairwell with commercial retail units along all three storeys of the building perimeter.
