physical and technical offerings meet today’s high standards for inclusivity, accessibility, and health and safety.” The ACT expansion, valued at $240 million, will involve construction of a new building just north of the existing Arts Commons facility. The expansion will offer a new modern, flexible performance venue, as well as all necessary front-and-back-ofhouse supporting amenities. Funding for the expansion, Clare explains, will come three sources: the City of Calgary’s Greater Downtown Plan, the City’s Municipal Sustainability Initiative, and CMLC’s Community Revitalization Levy. Looking forward, the second phase of ACT will involve a renovation of the existing Arts Commons facility. The existing facility is currently home to several resident companies, including the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Alberta Theatre Projects, Downstage, Theatre Calgary, One Yellow Rabbit Performance Theatre and Arts Commons Presents. The modernization is not yet funded, but is expected to be valued at roughly $210 million, and Arts Commons will soon launch a capital campaign to secure the remaining funds. For several years, Arts Commons has had to turn away events, productions and shows because of a lack of capacity. The goal of the expansion is to remedy that, to allow them to accommodate more programming as well as more diverse programming. The goal of the modernization, meanwhile, “is to really reconsider how the configuration of the building works, to consider how best to integrate the theatres that are there, and to bring it up to the level that it needs to be at to meet the growing needs of the city,” according to Claire. Heading up the architectural design for ACT is Toronto-based firm KPMB – a pedigreed firm with proven expertise in major arts and theatre projects, including Toronto’s Massey Hall and Allied Music Centre, Minneapolis’ Orchestra Hall, and the Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity. Working closely with them will be Tawaw Architecture Collective Inc, headed by Wanda Dalla Costa – a former Calgarian and Canada’s first female First Nations architect. Rounding out the team is the Calgary-based Hindle Architects – a trusted local firm with a history of successful projects in the city, as well as SLA – an internationally renowned nature-based design studio out of Denmark. Serving as construction manager on the project, meanwhile, is EllisDon, a national leader in largescale construction for more than 70 years. They have been collaborating with the prime design team throughout the concept and schematic design phases to advise on constructability – the goal being to streamline the transition from design to development when it comes time to break ground. Other vital consultants who make up the project team include: project manager Colliers Project Leaders; structural engineer and building condition assessment Entuitive; mechanical engineer Reinbold / Altieri Sebor Wieber; electrical engineers Crossey Engineering with Designcore; acoustic consultant Threshold Acoustics; theatre planning Fisher Dachs Associates; arts management consultant AMS Planning and Research; and cost consultants Venue Consulting and A.W. Hooker Associates. As part of the design process on this project, CMLC and their partners undertook a 10-week engagement program where they solicited input on the design and function of both the facility and its surrounding public spaces. As this program took place during the pandemic, engagement DECEMBER 2022
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