A mixed-use building was planned on 17th Avenue SW in Calgary’s Lower Mount Royal neighborhood, a walkable shopping district across from the historic Tomkins Park. Facing the park, the property needed to echo the park’s rich foliage and inviting feel. The neighboring buildings are smaller, requiring that the façade be well-articulated to break up the building’s mass and create a cohesive streetscape. The project presented an opportunity to reinterpret Calgary’s residential architecture in a contemporary way, making it contextual and relevant.

The project was founded on the concept of living in an urban park environment. Six additional full-size trees were incorporated onto the second-floor roof to create a visual tree canopy extension stretching along the south side of the avenue. On the main level, the façade of the proposed building facing north is set back 3 meters from the property line. This main building façade offers a porous interface, a space that is neither public nor private, via six commercial/retail doors and another entry point leading to the main residential building.

South of Tomkins Park, the building continues a simple, well-proportioned architectural style. Its base and top are clad in grey-red clinker brick, a material common in Calgary. Clear glass enhances transparency and connection to the park, blending the spaces. Trees are spaced to mirror the park’s design—four at ground level and six on the second-story terrace.