“THE PARK” HISTORICAL BUILDING REVITALIZATION Senior Thesis Project DIDS402 I Senior Thesis 3 I Professor Lauren Pillote Academy of Design at RCC Institute of Technology Bachelor of Interior Design Deanna Christensen I December 18, 2015
PROBLEM STATEMENT A1 The City of Calgary will soon open its doors to a brand new, world-renowned central 1 2 library ofgering the latest in technology and services within its 240,000 sq.ft footprint. This $245 million facility is highly anticipated and is located only 7 city blocks from the existing Memorial Park Library branch. The Memorial Park Library is one of Calgary’s few historical buildings but currently sees minimal foot traffjc due to its limited ofgerings, which doesn’t provide the “bells and whistles” that many patrons are vying for today. In order to reclaim its relevancy and generate a new audience, this facility requires a transformation, which will inevitably retain and promote its historical importance to visitors, grounding its signifjcance and identity well into the future. The issues that can arise as part of an adaptive re-use of this type of historical facility are: -Existing load-bearing infrastructure. -Prominent stylistic and historical features. -Access to the building amenities (ie. barrier-free and vehicular accessibility). NEW CENTRAL LIBRARY DESIGN (2018) MEMORIAL PARK LIBRARY BRANCH (1912) (Designed by: Snøhetta and DIALOG) THESIS STATEMENT A2 The Memorial Park Library represents Calgary’s history and a body of knowledge, which, like language, is a continually evolving communication, requiring revitalization in order to maintain its relevancy and connection within its community. With a layer of contemporary style and function, this Thesis proposes an adaptive re-use, which provides spaces that reinvigorate community interaction and connection, while preserving the building’s original integrity and sharing information on its historical importance to the City. PERSONAL STATEMENT A3 I was exposed to this building when I had my fjrst job at an architectural fjrm, looking at the replacement of the existing carpeting and paint colours. Perhaps it was its rare stylistic features or representation of our City’s early beginnings but I have loved this building ever since I can remember. The site is unique and is a living monument to the contributions of both Calgarians and of the Canadian people. It represents prosperity in economics, education, military, and it serves to symbolize the civic determination that has broadened our prairie city into a cosmopolitan center. “THE PARK” HISTORICAL BUILDING REVITALIZATION
BUILDING INSIGHT + CONTEXT A4 SITE DETAILS: Site Vicinity Map - Symmetrical arrangement of walkways, lawns and bedding plants and ornate -Water fountain commemorating the 50th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, added in 1930; landscaping; -R.B. Bennett memorial south of the library building, added 1953 (not located -Formally designed raised beddings with brilliantly coloured plantings; on the central axis); -Orientation of most statuary and memorial elements on the park’s central axis; -Eternal fmame memorial located to the east of the cenotaph, added 1967; -The 1914 equestrian statue, The Horseman of the Plains, commemorating the -Royal Canadian Legion Commemorative Medallion located to the West of the South African (Boer) War, located in the centre of the par’s oval; cenotaph, added 1994; -First World War Memorial, added in 1924, located at the east end of the park in -Second World War memorial, Burma Star, located near the cenotaph, added front of the library; in 1996; -Cenotaph and accompanying benches, added in 1928, located at the west end -Memorial to the Australian and New Zealand armed forces located near the of the park; cenotaph, added in 2004; - Federal Geodetic Survey marker, added in 1928, located at the east end of the Memorial Park Library -Wrought iron lampposts and bollards throughout the park park’s oval; 9 8 Fountain 10 Memorial Statue “The Boxwood Cafe” 11 Ceremonial Site 14 13 12 Sheldon First Baptist Chumir Church Health Centre “THE PARK” HISTORICAL BUILDING REVITALIZATION
USER + CLIENT PROFILE A5 User Profjle Client Profjle As a whole, the re-development of this building is intended for all ages. While the fjne dining experience may be centered A Calgary based commercial developer seeks to bring an opportunity to the city’s downtown by providing on mature patrons, the museum and art gallery are intended to be a destination for the general public of all ages and a symbolic core, whose very being will assist in becoming the systemic and artistic kernel of the city’s abilities, grade school fjeld trips, post secondary students and families. presence. A city’s center, its nucleus, is usually the profound basis of its economic hub, an asset of industry “The Park” - Fine Dining. It is a distinctive and trendy location that focuses on fjne dining but remains centered on and consumptive ancillaries, which creates a relationship between business and its people. The very basis its sustainable core values: locally grown and raised food sources. Catering to foodies and those that appreciate quality of this prospective re-development is to re-defjne the very nature of this relationship, to transform the ingredients, “The Park” is an eatery which brings together business professionals and artists from their 20’s and onward. urban core from a place of primary business and economic interactions to a refmection on why and how this “The Gallery” - Opportunity. This venue assists in supporting the local artist scene, catering specifjcally to Calgarian relationship even began. amateurs, those whose talent is distinctly unique and showcases the very spirit of the city’s philosophical presence as a sustainable environment conducive to artistic inspiration. The Gallery is an opportunity to discover hidden talent, for students to observe and witness pieces of art, to criticize the structure and underlying basis of infmuence, and to speak to the artists themselves, to create an interactive community that eliminates the chasm between Subject and Object. “The Window” – History. This museum is distinctly Calgarian, its artifacts and its displays a window to the city’s past. If one is to experience a city’s present, it often takes understanding a city’s past to realize and recognize the signifjcant patterns of and similarities we share with our forebears that lets us understand history is not so much a monolithic circumstance as it is a cycle of learning, of continuous progress. Here we witness Calgary’s economic past, the roots and foundation upon which the city was built, providing us a mirror to refmect what we’ve become relative to who we once 27 were. The Window will be a fantastic opportunity for people of all ages to experience time travel, and to return to the present with a fjrm appreciation of our ancestry and their many achievements. 29 28 30 31 32 “THE PARK” HISTORICAL BUILDING REVITALIZATION
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