The University of Calgary is set to enhance its presence in downtown Calgary

The University of Calgary is set to enhance its presence in downtown Calgary by relocating one of its existing faculties to a larger space in the city center, aiming to establish a vibrant new design district.

The initiative involves converting 180,000 square feet of office space at 801 7 Avenue SW to accommodate over 1,300 students and faculty members from the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape.

This new facility will be located directly across from UCalgary's current downtown campus and is expected to open in 2026. The upgraded space will feature design studios, classrooms, research areas, a robotic fabrication workshop, an exhibition gallery, and a community-oriented design justice lab. Funding for this project includes up to $9 million from The City of Calgary's Downtown Post-Secondary Institution Incentive Program. Dr. Ed McCauley, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calgary, noted that the move would free up more than 800 high-demand spaces on the main UCalgary campus.

He emphasized that students and faculty will maintain easy access to the main campus via the city's LRT Red Line. "Thank you to Mayor Gondek for the funding," expressed Dr. John Brown, Dean of the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape. According to Brown, this announcement marks the culmination of seven years of advocacy and dedicated efforts. "This is not just an expansion of the school; it's an opportunity for students and staff to engage with and impact the community through resources, time, and efforts," he stated. "We're going to actively participate in the streetscape, creating a design district that attracts visitors, much like the East Village has drawn people due to its appealing environment," he added.

Brown highlighted the necessity of a design school being situated downtown, equating it to how a medical school benefits from being near a hospital. "It's essential for us to be here, fully integrated into the urban environment, similar to how you often can't distinguish between a medical student and a professional in a hospital setting," Brown explained. "We're excited to revolutionize our approach to 21st-century design education." Despite being the smallest school at UCalgary, the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, according to Brown, "punches above our weight." He reflected on how current students have made do with the old Central Library for the past five years, a facility lacking heating and reliable Wi-Fi. "I appreciate you (students) maintaining the dream without staging a coup," he joked. Support from Calgary's Mayor: Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek expressed her strong enthusiasm for the relocation.

"Just think about the projects they will create and the experiences they will gain as design professionals," she remarked. "In ten to fifteen years, we will look back and feel grateful for investing in an education model that treats downtown as a living laboratory," she added. Gondek recalled her previous experience with the university when she facilitated the move of the Westman Center for Real Estate Studies at the Haskayne School of Business to UCalgary's downtown campus between 2015 and 2017. "Students did not just study real estate; they experienced it through their classroom projects," she noted.
"That experience was significant because it offered place-based education, demonstrating its transformative potential." Gondek reaffirmed the city's commitment to collaborating with other post-secondary institutions to enhance learning opportunities downtown. "This expansion will bring more vibrancy and people to the area while generating economic prospects that help neighboring businesses grow alongside a more residential and academic community," she concluded.