Calgary New Central Library

Calgary, Canada

Named one of Architectural Digest’s 12 Most Anticipated Buildings of 2018, the New Central Library is one of Calgary’s most important and distinctive cultural institutions.

Calgary New Central Library

Calgary, Canada

Named one of Architectural Digest’s 12 Most Anticipated Buildings of 2018, the New Central Library is one of Calgary’s most important and distinctive cultural institutions.

The New Central Library occupies 278,000 ft², including public space, and 40,000 ft² for future library expansion. The building structure was built over Calgary’s busiest LRT line, which bisects the site and occupies approximately 40% of the site area. The library’s design puts a strong emphasis on public accessibility and community-oriented spaces, with 80% of the building, including collections areas, allocated to public space.

location

Calgary, Canada

Awards

American Institute of Architects Awards, New Central Library, Calgary 2019; 2015 Canadian Architect Award of Excellence

Client

Calgary Municipal Land Corporation, Calgary Public Library and the City of Calgary

Size

278,000 ft²

Merit Award for Wayfinding

SEGD Global Design Awards

Award of Excellence

Canadian Consulting Engineers

2019 CCE Award of Excellence

Association of Consulting Engineering Companies

The Mawson Urban Design Award

Mayor's Urban Design Awards

Architect

Snøhetta (Design Architect); DIALOG (Executive Architect)

Budget

$245 M

Role

Structural Engineering Consultant

2019 AIA/ALA Library Building Award

American Institute of Architects

Canadian Consulting Engineers

CISC Alberta Steel Design Awards - Building Communities Award

2019 CCE Engineering A Better Canada Award

Association of Consulting Engineering Companies

AIA/ALA Library Building Award

American Institute of Architects

Award of Merit

Canadian Architect

Challenge

Build a new landmark civic building with an anticipated high level of community engagement over an existing, busy LRT line that bisects the site on a radius with minimal disruption to its operation.

Solution

Entuitive developed a transfer system that creates the opportunity for a contiguous floor plate above the LRT line with a regular grid system that maximizes future flexibility. This forms the basis for the encapsulation – a new concrete structure that clear spans approximately 12 metres across the existing Calgary Transit South East corridor LRT tracks, just north of the exiting CP Rail tunnel. It is the first time in Calgary’s history that an active LRT line has been encased to enable an above-grade development project – an achievement that Calgary Municipal Land Corporation referred to as “a real feat of engineering.”

With more than 670,000 active members, the library aims to serve its community with passion and inspire life stories.

Learn more about how Entuitive approaches engineering challenges, and discover why Engineering Performance matters for your project.

Calgary New Central Library