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Many central areas of Calgary are being dramatically revamped, thanks to a decade-long construction boom. Such is the case in the emerging East Village, an area approximately bounded by 3rd Street SE, the Bow River, and the Canadian Pacific Tracks, where more than 11,000 people will eventually live, work, and play when the neighbourhood is fully built out in 2027. This is also where the Calgary Central Library will relocate in 2018, in a brand new 22,000-square-metre edifice situated along 3rd Street SE, between 7th and 9th Avenues SE.
Currently being built at a cost of $245 million (CAD), the New Central Library designed by Snøhetta and DIALOG is set to become one of the the city's most prominent cultural facilities. Following a complex pre-construction process including the encapsulation of the LRT line that runs directly through the site, the construction of the actual structure is now unfolding around and above the newly built 150-metre tunnel. As seen in the picture above, work is well underway on what will become the library's three concrete cores, designed to provide structural support to the new six-storey building.
In an effort to connect the emerging neighbourhood to the financial district, the elliptical building will boast an ample gateway at the end of a large flight of stairs, opening up on both 3rd Street SE to the west, and 8th Avenue SE to the east. The wood slats cladding the outdoor atrium walls and ceilings will also be extensively used within the building in order to give visitors an impression of continuity and warmth. The wood will also add visual interest to the building's exterior by contrasting with the mix of clear and fritted hexagonal glass panels that will form the facade. Inside, vast skylights will fill the atrium with natural light and offer a view of every level of the library at once.
Structural work is expected to be complete in 2016, with the first elements of exterior glazing appearing on the south facade by the end of this year. Once complete in late 2018, the New Central Library will house approximately 600,000 books and increase the amount of useable space by 66% compared to its current Macleod Trail location. As of 2012, close to 400,000 Calgarians hold a library card, making for the sixth most used library system in North America, and second most used in Canada after Toronto's.
In the meantime, additional images and information about the project can be found in the Database file linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion or share your photos? Check out the associated Forum thread or leave a comment at the bottom of this page.
