How do we design for the future while making sure it still works for the present moment?
A crystal ball might point towards shared mobility and multi-modal transportation options that could alter future demand for parking a single occupancy vehicle. How can we design to meet today’s demand for parking in our city, while designing in enough flexibility to adapt to how we might get around in five- or ten-years’ time? We invite you to tour an innovative new building in East Village: a parkade that is designed to adapt to different uses over time.
d.talks conducted a virtual tour of the new “innovation heart” in Calgary’s East Village on July 21, 2021. Touring the seven stories of parking at Calgary’s newest future-forward parkade, we heard about the Platform Innovation Centre & Parkade (it’s a parkade, after all) and the 50,000 square feet of office space that Platform Calgary and 50 partner institutions will use as an innovation hub later this year.
Integrated within the first two floors of the building, the Platform Innovation Centre contributes to a rapidly growing tech community, providing access to innovators across Alberta to programming and mentorship to support their start-ups. Also on the tour, we’ll visit the public sport court and a rentable outdoor event space that features city-scape views and safe distancing on the rooftop.
Tour led by:
Kate Thompson, President & CEO of Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC). Joining CMLC in January 2013 to lead the delivery of the master plan vision for East Village, in January 2020, after seven years as Vice President of Development, Kate stepped into her new role as President & CEO. Under Kate’s leadership, CMLC is overseeing the development of the BMO Centre Expansion, Event Centre, and critical infrastructure projects in east Victoria Park, delivering on the vision for Calgary’s Culture + Entertainment District. A registered member of the Alberta Architects Association (AAA) and active Member of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (MRAIC), Kate manages architectural controls for East Village, ensuring all plans for new development align with CMLC’s vision for the neighbourhood. Kate is active in the community through her role as a member of the Dean’s Circle of School of Architecture, Planning + Landscape (SAPL) at University of Calgary, where she has been an Adjunct Professor since 2014. In both teaching and practicing architecture, she continues to highlight the importance of a well-built urban fabric and support projects that strengthen Calgary’s urban spaces.
Joanne Sparks, currently an Associate and Registered Architect at Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning. Joanne has over 10 years’ experience and has a keen eye for design that stems from her passion for the arts, this adds to her curiosity of the interrelationships between buildings, streets and art that make up the urban fabric. She has worked on projects both nationally and internationally, as well as been a guest critic for both the RAIC Syllabus and the University of Calgary’s Architecture programs.
Produced by the d.talks mx committee including:
Sukhpreet Kaur, who is a registered Architect with Zeidler Architecture. She looks to create spaces that inspire its users, fostering a connection and experience within the surrounding environment. She moved to Calgary in 2012 and instantly fell in love with ‘the design spirit’ of our city. She has been a d.talks volunteer since 2019.
Lindsay Fischer is a Placemaker and Urban Planner working in the realm of public space and urban design. She holds a Masters of Planning from the University of Calgary (2014) as well as a Masters of Science in Urban Placemaking and Management from Pratt Institute (2019). Widely recognized for her commitment to public realm, she was the recipient of both a Mayor’s Urban Design Award (2015) and a National Urban Design Award (2016) for her work on The Bench Project, which she co-founded.
mx is an alternate way to experience d.talks. This is a city of possibility. Together, we make this place. Members Extension (m/x) is a community of people making things happen. Creating experiences for d.talks individual members, mx develops discovery activities that blend “quirky” with “informed.” Membership to d.talks can be found here.