Perkins&Will—Speculative Proposal

Speculative Proposal for Adaptive Reuse

A Speculative Vision to Ignite Calgary's Downtown Transformation November 2024

Contents

Why This Speculative Proposal? ― 4 Background ― 7 Key Principles ― 10 A Call to Action ― 22

Left Image and Image on Cover: Conceptual Renderings of Nexen Building, at 801 7th Ave SW.

To support the social and economic resilience of Calgary’s downtown, a bold vision is required.

Why this Speculative Proposal?

As Calgarians, we recognize that our downtown is falling short of meeting the needs of our city, presently and into the foreseeable future. Formerly the active hub of our business community, today the activity in our city centre is not what it once was. It is clear that we must act to reinvigorate our city and support its growth.

As an architectural firm invested in the future of our city, we offer this speculative proposal to help envision the potential of our downtown and to determine what could be possible.

Our city centre deserves a second act, and we believe it could be one that maximizes the use of its existing buildings, cultivates vibrant communities, and becomes the beating heart of our city.

A well-known and important strategy is to adapt the use of our existing buildings and infrastructure. Adaptive transformation is a way we can realize this aspiration.

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Calgary's Speculative Proposal | 2024

Why this Speculative Proposal?

Adapting the use of our existing buildings and infrastructure is a way we can realize this aspiration more quickly and economically, as well as sustainably through reduced embodied carbon emissions. Keeping our buildings also helps to preserve the recognition and connection we have with our past.

This study explores an approach to catalyze community development in Calgary’s downtown core through the introduction of a mixed-use higher education program into, what is commonly known as the Nexen Building, at 801 7th Ave SW.

Above and Below: "Aerial view of Nova building and surrounding area, Calgary, Alberta." 1984-07-11, (CU1143740) by Hall, Jim. Courtesy of Glenbow Library and Archives Collection, Libraries and Cultural Resources Digital Collections, University of Calgary.

This speculative design study could serve as a vehicle to advance the City of Calgary’s roadmap to reinvention and build a thriving, future-focused downtown.

The gesture of transforming a long-standing icon in the Calgary skyline holds important symbolic significance, can inspire the broader city, and can define a neighbourhood. It illustrates the change that is possible and reinforces Calgary’s leadership position in adaptive reuse.

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90%+ Vacant 75%+ Vacant 50%+ Vacant 1%-50% Vacant

Contextual map of Downtown Calgary showing the percentage of vacant buildings. Data from The Globe and Mail, the void in Calgary, Oct 14, 2021.

Commercial Buildings Residential Buildings Green Areas Water C-Train Blue Line C-Train Red Line

Contextual map of Downtown Calgary, highlighting the types of buildings and green spaces in relation to public transportation. Data from City of Calgary.

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Calgary's Speculative Proposal | 2024

Background The City of Calgary recognizes that in order for our

A number of factors have led to the decline in occupation and activity in Calgary’s downtown. For the past 50 years, the city’s core has been characterised by offices towers with little urban activity outside of the traditional work week.

downtown to thrive, it needs to be a place that cultivates culture and offers a variety of activities throughout the day, week, and year. Although the City of Calgary has taken a leadership position by providing funding to offset the cost of conversion to other uses, only office to residential conversions have been funded to date. While this is a pioneering initiative, it is not providing the mix of uses required to build a complete community.

This speculative proposal presents a radical yet accessible vision for catalyzing the development of a vibrant

Furthermore, the increase in office vacancy has caused land

community node in the downtown core. The conversion of

values and property tax revenue in our downtown to fall,

801 7th Ave SW into a vertical mixed-use higher education

affecting a significant portion of our city’s revenue. The core’s

campus will act as an urban, social, and economic driver for

infrastructure has become an under utilized civic investment

the area. It will also create a community heart and define

that yearns for an opportunity to realize its potential and

the identity for the west side of Calgary’s downtown. The

leverage the existing assets. All citizens have much to gain

building is currently unoccupied and is an architectural

from reigniting Calgary’s downtown and transforming it into

landmark in the city that deserves a next chapter.

the vibrant beating heart of the city that it was meant to be.

This proposal starts with the idea of taking the mix of uses and public space found on a university campus and redeploys them into the existing framework of the office tower. The transformation of this landmark into a vibrant series of higher education and community uses will

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invigorate the community and drive social and economic

Concept diagram mixing the uses of public spaces and combining them into the framework of a traditional office tower.

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transformation through the neighbourhood.

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Campus

Office

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Community

Key Principles

Calgary’s Downtown core needs to be reframed as a vibrant mixed-use place for people.

The City of Calgary’s roadmap to reinvention presents five strategic moves to support the vision of Calgary’s downtown as the vibrant, inclusive, cultural, and economic heart of the city. To support this vision, this study is presented through these five lenses of the roadmap to reinvention:

↑ City of Calgary’s "The Roadmap" from the Roadmap to - The future of Calgary's downtown.

→ Artist’s impression of a campus-style hub envisioned as a place where Calgarians can gather, learn, and thrive in an iconic downtown space.

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Calgary's Speculative Proposal | 2024

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Calgary's Speculative Proposal | 2024

Key Principles

Create Neighbourhoods for Vibrant Urban Life By 2031, the vision for the Greater Downtown is a series of unique, mixed-use neighbourhoods complete with vibrant gathering places, housing choices, and the amenities residents need close by.

This proposal would help catalyze this vision by transforming this iconic building into the spark that ignites a new neighbourhood identity and community heart through a healthy mix of uses including academic, housing, social, cultural, galleries, and workspace.

In 2015, the office vacancy rate began to increase and was further exacerbated through the pandemic. This has resulted in a significant loss of activity in our downtown,

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causing it to suffer. While many have returned to the

Speculative vision for the gathering space and entrance to the renewed building.

office, it is apparent that our urban core lacks the activity it once had that a new identity and purpose are required.

Key to this proposal are the social spaces that flow

ensuring occupation and activity throughout the day.

from the adjacent Century Gardens up to the rooftop,

A rewilded roof scape is given back to the city as a unique

forming a vertically stacked series of interconnected atria

gathering space with a new light-weight mass timber

through the building. Similar to a campus pedestrian

framed pavilion supporting a range of activities.

mall, the interconnected social spaces create an inside-

The public program in the new facility will extend

outside visual connection that supports well-being while

into the adjacent Century Gardens leveraging the

occupying vertically separated floors.

landscape as a destination for both building occupants

The lower levels are dedicated to public and commercial

and neighbourhood residents. The civic gesture of a

programming that radiate onto the streets and adjacent

canopy over a renewed Century Gardens supports

park, including repurposing the previous winter garden

year-round use.

into a student commons. The mid-rise levels house academic spaces with a public outdoor level above the academic program.

The high-rise levels are dedicated to student housing,

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Calgary's Speculative Proposal | 2024

Key Principles

Establish a Green Network for a Healthy Environment By 2031, the vision for the Greater Downtown is a vibrant

The landscape approach to this study involves rewilding

urban environment whose residents and visitors benefit

the site, increasing tree canopy, and creating habitat for

from an interconnected system of regional and local parks,

urban wildlife. Plantings flow through public spaces on

natural spaces and river frontage connected by high-quality

the interior and exterior of the building creating biophilic

people-focused streets. Residents and visitors would benefit

environments that foster a connection to nature. The roof

from the local beautification, mental and physical wellness,

terrace is another new space for both citizens and wildlife,

and carbon reduction that it offers.

containing a mass timber roof pavilion that acts a landmark destination for hosting a range of programmed activities

This proposal extends our downtown’s green network

throughout the year.

through the repositioning and activation of Century

This proposal considers the building as part of the broader ecosystem, improving the connection between living things and developing the living corridors through the city.

Gardens, the introduction of new green spaces, such as the vegetated rooftop, and re-envisioning 8th St as a mixed mode street that supports active modes of transportation.

A renewed 8th St SW better connects the river to 17th Ave SW, stitching together two important pedestrian realms bounding the Greater Downtown. Planting along 8th St also creates a place that welcomes people and a green corridor for urban wildlife.

Brentwood Development, Burnaby, BC This project keeps vehicles off of the site and the entire 8 acre site is pedestrian realm creating an oasis in the city.

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Calgary's Speculative Proposal | 2024

Key Principles

Create Streets for People By 2031, the vision for Greater Downtown is a streets

As noted previously, 8th St is reimagined into a multimodal

and Plus 15 network that provides lively, people-focused

street for people and active transportation, while still

spaces that contribute to creating vibrancy and activity by

supporting vehicles. Stephen Ave pedestrian mall will

improving the environment and experience for residents,

also be extended west creating an east-west pedestrian

workers, and visitors to the area.

and active transportation connector across the Greater Downtown. These corridors clarify circulation through the

Central to this proposal is the activation of and investment in the public realm. The synergistic relationship created between the reimagined Century Gardens and the new activated academic building drives activity throughout the day.

Greater Downtown and reinforce the importance of this site and community space at the intersection of these activated pedestrian corridors. The impact of this intervention will radiate across the core improving the connection to the city at large.

The 8th St SW C-Train station at the north edge of the site becomes a landing pad for the downtown. A seamless transition between the park and train platform creates a barrier free flow between the transit network and public realm. Public programs fronting onto the train platform create a more interesting and safer transit experience.

This study prioritizes the pedestrian, adding vibrant uses at the street and extending existing streets for people to clarify circulation through downtown.

↑ Artistic interpretation imagining a covered plaza over a renewed Century Gardens that supports year-round use.

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Calgary's Speculative Proposal | 2024

Key Principles

Expand Transit For All By 2031, the vision for Greater Downtown is for transit to be

The building’s existing parkade is transformed into a

the preferred mobility choice for the majority of residents,

neighbourhood cycle hub with secure bike storage, high-

employees, and visitors, accounting for 60 percent of all

quality end of trip and maintenance facilities, as well as

peak-period trips.

social space for cycling communities to gather. This facility will provide the cycling infrastructure needed to support the

This proposal is built upon a framework supporting transit

surrounding community.

and active modes of transportation. Bus, bikeshare, and scooter share are co-located with the train station which

This proposal builds on existing infrastructure adding

is at the nexus of the pedestrian focussed north-south and

a range of active transportation options and safe,

east-west arterial roads. This confluence of transportation

comfortable roads to support those options. The addition

options makes this new community heart both an

of the bike hub creates a complete transit nexus around this

identifiable arrival point in the downtown and a jumping off

new community building.

point with various last-mile transportation options to move people across the core of the city.

Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) Redevelopment, Vancouver, BC: Located adjacent to two train lines this 1.4M sqft. development proposes no vehicular parking and includes a 1500 stall bike hub.

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Calgary's Speculative Proposal | 2024

Key Principles

Future-proof and Innovate for the Next Generation

In the face of a changing climate, this proposal invests in the architecture to ensure occupant comfort and health are at the forefront while looking to a low carbon future.

By 2031, the vision for the Greater Downtown is to accommodate and attract innovation, testing, and economic enterprise from the global technology sector.

Technology infiltrates every sector of the economy and Greater Downtown must remain competitive and resilient.

This proposal is about driving the economic and environmental resilience of Calgary’s downtown. The proposed academic program is focused on emerging technological and creative arts programs as catalysts to spark innovation and ignite new economic potential in

With increased peak temperatures over longer periods in the

Calgary’s downtown. This vision includes incubator space

summer, indoor comfort is an important metric for providing

to support innovative startups creating the potential for

a healthy environment so occupants can thrive. Ensuring

startups to spin out into the surrounding community as

all material selections have been considered from a human

emerging enterprises. Proximity between the academic

health perspective is paramount in a public building that

centre and industry creates a virtuous cycle of innovation

provides housing.

and investment between the public and private sectors,

Reusing the structure leverages the original carbon heavy

seeding spin-off companies, and providing momentum to

investment of the building, greatly reducing carbon

new industry.

emissions. The building envelope will be upgraded creating an air-tight, high-performance envelope reducing the heating and cooling energy required to maintain a healthy comfortable interior environment. Lastly, the building systems will be updated with electric solutions moving away from combustion, future-proofing the building as a net-zero ready facility.

This proposal is a future-focused and resilient civic building, supporting a low carbon future while advancing Calgary’s economic diversity.

609 Granville Envelope Replacement, Vancouver, BC: Constructed in 1981, a 25-storey commercial office tower resulted in an envelope upgrade with improved performance, a coherent new look, and clear identity during day and night.

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Building On Our Investments This proposal provides the vision for a catalytic seed to drive transformation in our downtown. By leveraging the city’s existing infrastructure we can renew it for a purposeful second act.

The diagrams below illustrate the transformational capacity of this vision over time. Initial investment will drive a virtuous cycle of spin out startups and subsequent business investment supporting academic programs producing a new economic hub for the city.

Transformation Scenario Renewed Space

Active Street Front

Year 1 Adaptive transformation into higher education facility.

Year 5 New business opportunities begin to spin out from academic facility.

Year 10 Opportunities continue to spin out creating creative tech neighbourhood.

Opportunities with new businesses feed back into the institution.

Year 20 New tech ecosystem is established with thriving relationship between industry and academia.

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Calgary's Speculative Proposal | 2024

Mass timber pavilion Roof garden

Student living rooms

Student homes

Sky garden

Learning space

Public Program • • •

Galleries Commercial Interactive Labs

Student commons Community bike hub

↑ An illustration of the potential vision for this proposal, transforming the Nexen Building into a vibrant, living vertical community.

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A Call to Action A singularly focused commercial heart to the city is no longer adequate to address the many roles that a vibrant downtown core needs to fulfil in a resilient contemporary city.

Complete communities foster a healthy

While bold, this vision is realizable and can be

balance of work, life, and play. While many

a defining moment in the city for generations.

adaptive reuse proposals aim to convert office

To support the social and economic resilience

to residential, they are challenged to provide

of Calgary’s downtown, a vision like this

the full range of uses that foster a thriving

is required.

community or provide a new identity for a neighbourhood.

The transformation of a long-standing icon in the Calgary skyline is symbolically significant

This speculative proposal envisions the

and can inspire the broader city. This proposal

development of a central hub around which

illustrates the change that is possible and

identity and community can form through

can cement Calgary’s status as a city that

unlocking the latent potential in existing

is unafraid to enable and drive purposeful

infrastructure. This reuse also allows change

reinvention.

to occur more quickly and leverages the embodied carbon in the existing forms.

Together, we can shape downtown Calgary that serves as a welcoming, vibrant community for all.

←→ Conceptual renderings of the speculative proposal, illustrating the transformed building as a new landmark in the city.

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822 – 11th Avenue SW, Unit 100 Calgary, Alberta T2R 0E5