Prize(s) Honorable Mentions
Lighting Design/Product Company Eos Lightmedia
Lead Designers Scott Hendrickson, Beau Cooper, Patrick Smith, Regan Janzen, Luke Ellis
Other Designer's names Vanessa Tang, John Gower, Damhnait McKenna, Sam Thompson, Kirsten Dohmeier, Shireen Khimani
Architecture Company Populous
Client Stantec
Photo Credits Calgary Municipal Land Corporation
Other Credits Western Electrical
Completion Date July 1st 2024
Project Location Calgary, Alberta
Entry DescriptionThe BMO Centre Expansion in Calgary, Alberta, marks a transformative milestone, creating the largest venue of its kind in Western Canada. A central feature of the project is the pavilion, designed to reflect Calgary's history and forward-thinking spirit. The lighting design weaves a narrative that highlights the city’s cultural heritage, natural beauty, and energy.
The pavilion’s canopy is a focal point, illuminated with custom perforation techniques that create dynamic lighting effects. The 41 perforation patterns are arranged in four orientations to create an ethereal atmosphere that shifts with the seasons, weather, and time of day. The the lighting scheme immerses visitors in a captivating visual journey that draws inspiration from the local environment, including elements such as light permeating weathered barn boards, the glow of campfires, the sway of expansive fields, and enchanting night skies. Colours drawn from the prairie landscape enhance the pavilion’s visual impact. Dynamic lighting effects, designed to emulate Calgary Stampede fireworks, surprise visitors with bursts of colour, evoking joy and celebration.
The lighting design enhances the beauty of this spectacular urban space and reinforces Calgary’s evolving identity as a cultural and economic hub.
Sustainability ApproachThe lighting designers wanted a sustainability approach for this project that was more than just energy efficient. The assessment of suitable luminaires was also mindful of social performance and sustainability approach from lighting manufacturers that met best practices.
This project’s size and public profile, incorporating approximately 500 luminaires, comes with significant environmental responsibility to consider the impact of associated manufacturing processes, supply chains, long term operation and maintenance. By selecting lighting products with durable components that are modular and replaceable, and manufactured by a company that adheres to Global Sustainability Standards, the lighting design supports a circular economy by reducing waste and promoting the use of sustainable resources to protect the future of our planet.
