The City of Calgary is set to approve an exciting new development for its downtown. Designed by a joint-venture partnership between Marc Boutin Architect and Landplan Associates Ltd., the redevelopment of the Eau Claire Plaza will encompass a five-acre parcel of land.
The site is unique in its potential to act as a bridge between the urban centre and the Bow River Parkway, an anomaly given Calgary’s historic development of the parkway as a green buffer between river and city.
The initial design gesture involves the integration of leftover spaces found on the existing site with a subsequent rationalization of the available public space into a single, legible plaza.
In order for the public to engage in this space year-round, various design features will allow the plaza to remain a popular winter-city amenity. To address this issue, a dynamic public space infrastructure will comprise the plaza’s continuous podium that has been described as”the capturing of shifting climatic, environmental and programmed conditions.”
These elements will include kinetic metal sculptures intended to convey all kinds of information as it reacts to natural light, wind and precipitation. These large sculptures will project illumination and data, while incorporating steam and water features into the design.
The project has an anticipated completion date of 2008.