BMO Convention Centre Expansion

Client Calgary Municipal Land Corporation
Location Calgary | Alberta | Canada
 

Working alongside Populous, Stantec and S2 Architecture, O2 led the design of the event plaza and streetscape for the BMO Convention Centre Expansion. The BMOx site sits at a critical intersection in the developing Rivers District at the junction of the 17th Avenue Extension and Stampede Trail Public Realm with the goal of creating one cohesive public realm. These projects have kick started the re-imagining of Stampede Park’s public realm and streetscapes. With the new Stampede Crossing and LRT Station underway, Stampede Park is being reconnected with the surrounding community and the City. The public realm must distinguish itself and clearly resonate with visitors that they have entered a special place. A place of celebration that is distinct and cohesively conceived. 

The BMOx streetscape and plaza will be pinnacle junctions at the meeting on these places. The site will serve many roles, anchoring the new entertainment district along Stampede Trail and routing visitors in an iconic Stampede experience. It will also function on the day to day basis, serving convention goers and the Calgarians alike with places for respite, play and gathering.

The site design will create a year-round destination that adapts to the diverse demands of events, exhibitions, and daily life. With inspiration drawn from the rich cultural and natural heritage of the Stampede, Calgary, and the Alberta landscape, the site will provide world-class experiences that root visitors in this place.

The design is a cumulation of spaces that responds to the building and public realm needs. The central pedestrian walkway, or ‘Track’, creates a flexible and programmable space that acts as a corridor for Stampede vendors, BMO exhibition programing, civic engagement and everyday life. The central lawn offers an area of respite within Stampede Park and provides opportunities to observe, relax and play. Where the site touches the adjoining projects, the design attempts to respect and integrate into the surrounding landscape to create a cohesive campus.