[SUCCESS] New Calgary Library Opens to Critical Acclaim
On November 1st the City of Calgary opened the new, much anticipated Central Library. According to the Calgary Herald, the new library is nothing short of spectacular!
“Decades in the making, Calgary’s long-awaited $245-million downtown library opened its doors to the public Thursday, boasting 240,000 square feet of spectacular architecture, four floors of learning spaces and 450,000 new books and collections” (Source: Calgary Herald).
Six years ago, MetroQuest played a role in creating the groundswell of public support that a project of this magnitude requires. Who lead the outstanding public engagement efforts for the megaproject? Modus – an innovative planning, design, and engagement firm and long-time MetroQuest subscriber.
The Modus team engaged 14,000+ Calgarians in a discussion about the future of the Central Library, using a MetroQuest survey to collect actionable public input from over 12,000 of those engaged citizens.
Another MetroQuest subscriber and integrated design firm, Dialog Design was part of the incredible team tasked with designing a beautiful building to fit an odd shaped lot and be a catalyst for revitalizing Calgary’s East Village area. Rob Adamson of Dialog Design said,
“This might be the most significant civic building built in the last 25 years and potentially the most important civic building built in the city for the next 25 years, so as a Calgarian and an architect, it’s a very proud and moving moment for me to see this building finally complete.”
Planners and architects increasingly require public support to put their plans into action. This support begins during the planning phase. Without public support, a bold plan to transform a city landscape may never see the light of day. Michael Brown, CEO of the Calgary Land Management Corporation, said this “project was built over a curving LRT track, on an oddly shaped piece of land that would be tough to sell.”
Calgary’s new Central Library is breathtaking. We would like to thank the 12,000 Calgarians who helped shape the vision for this amazing gathering place for exploration and learning. Congratulations to Modus and Dialog Design for your outstanding public engagement!