RC116 JanFeb 2025 - Magazine - Page 14
TOP100 PROJECTS
WESTERN
HOSPITALITY
The expansion of Calgary’s BMO Centre
drew its inspiration from Alberta’s
pioneering spirit by Mark Cardwell
HEN IT COMES to end-of-project team celebrations, Adam Paulitsch, principal architect at global design 昀椀rm Populous,
says convention centre hand overs usually pale in comparison to the launch of world-class sports and entertainment
venues like the Sphere in Las Vegas that are the principal
focus of his 昀椀rm’s work.
“Those projects usually end with an opening day or a grand opening where teams of people and even their families can go and enjoy
the 昀椀nished project,” said Paulitsch, design director for Populous’
convention and exhibition centre practice.
“Convention centres are a big part of our business, but they don’t
usually end that way. Normally we just turn over the keys after 昀椀ve
years of work and, that’s it, you move on.”
But that wasn’t the case at the o昀케cial opening of the expansion of
Calgary’s BMO Centre in Stampede Park in last June.
After decades of planning and four years of construction at a cost
of $500 million, the new three-story facility was inaugurated with
live music, 昀椀reworks, a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a reception for
political and business leaders from across Alberta and many project
team members, including architects, managers, interior designers and
urban planners.
“It was ‘Wow!’” said Paulitsch. “But it was no surprise. We were
working all these years with the people from the Stampede who are
the biggest and best event planners in the world.”
There were many good reasons for all the hoopla. One was the
sheer size of the project. Delivered on time and on budget by more
than 80 consultants and contractors and more than 5,000 workers who
put in more than two million construction hours, the expansion added
565,000 square feet and two 昀氀oors to the original BMO Centre.
It is now the largest convention centre in Western Canada with
over 1 million square feet of space that can accommodate up to 33,000
people in more than 100,000 square feet of new exhibition space,
three dozen new meeting rooms and two ballrooms that are now the
biggest in the province.
Then there’s the new building’s stunning design. Inspired by Calgary’s skyline, Western Canada’s pioneering spirit and the traditions
of the world-famous Calgary Stampede—a century-old annual rodeo
and festival that attracts more than a million visitors over 10 days in
July and bills itself as ‘The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth’—it features 昀氀oor-to-ceiling windows that o昀昀er stunning views of the Rocky
Mountains, the city’s downtown and the surrounding Stampede Park,
which is home to the Stampede and Calgary’s iconic Scotiabank Saddledome arena, home to the NHL’s Calgary Flames.
W
Mark Cardwell is a
freelance writer based in
the Quebec City region.
14
RENEW CANADA – JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2025
5,000+ workers put in more than two million
construction hours to build the expansion, which
added 565,000 square feet and two floors to the
original BMO Centre.
RENEWCANADA.NET
