Changing the Face of Calgary
Heritage Architecture of the Past and for the Future

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Patti LaPorte, president of the Historical and Rebuilding Society, views the final outcome of both the Hyatt and the Convention Centre as "facade-only" not restoration. The society feels the City did not fulfill its promise of "blending the new with the old." But Graham explains, "It is very difficult to incorporate old buildings past the first or second floor because of modern access and fire codes that didn't exist when the buildings were constructed." He points out, "The original commercial buildings were really storefronts with not much behind them." The builders were fairly practical in their use of materials. "They weren't viewed as grand architecture at the time, [that was reserved for the public buildings like City Hall and the Memorial Park Library], but are important for what they represent."

Although Graham "strongly opposes historical imitation because it trivializes what was there" he feels that the final project "respects what was done in the past" Urban design in the 19th century featured a certain rhythm based on the 50-foot storefronts along the street. The buildings were very open to street traffic, and doors and windows occurred frequently to pull people in to shop. The Convention Centre design acknowledges this "rhythm in a 50-foot pattern of modules to tie in with the narrow front urban rhythm" of the past. Graham explains one of the design goals was to use glass to "animate the building. It will light up the street at night and glow. It will open it up," and welcome people, in contrast to the stark cold concrete facade of the old centre across the street. The new centre will also feature a soft sandstone coloured finish and a small balcony on the southeast corner in recognition of the original "Speaker's Corner" at that site. Graham believes there has been a successful combination of old and new. "It's a high-tech facility that demonstrates what Calgary is about, [but] it fits in scale and proportion, it respects the rhythm of the street"

Rick Singleton's team faced the dilemma of incorporating four heritage sites into the Hyatt project. They included the Doll Block, the Thomson Bros. Block, the Imperial Bank and the Lineham Block. As Singleton points out, "It was the major wish of the owner and the Heritage Advisory Board to incorporate the old and the new in the design" To that end, all the sites except the Lineham will be returned to their original use as retail outlets. The Lineham will serve as the Avenue entrance to the Hotel. An attempt was made to preserve the historical integrity of the buildings but as Singleton points out, "they were basically warehouses, built pragmatically, economically with different codes." This makes it difficult to meet strict modern regulations without making some structural changes, but pedestrians will still be able to enjoy the distinctive quality of each of the buildings as they shop and stroll along this length of the Avenue.

The Hotel itself reflects a classic design with a distinct top, middle and bottom. Singleton believes the "gentle sandstone texture of the building [results in] a kinship between the two—the old and the new. The texture and tone create a sense of timelessness—a sense of where we have been as well as being comfortable going into the future [with] a functional and useful [building]."

By now, Bob may be feeling slightly overwhelmed by the scale and pace of change that has overtaken the city in less than 100 years. He might also be surprised at what we consider heritage sites from his era—buildings that he may have viewed as nothing more than a saddle shop or a place to eat. What, he might ask, will be a heritage building from our era?

Jeremy Sturgess of Sturgess Architecture believes that "buildings are about context. A heritage building is significant in its time and place" He views the Nova building as a potential heritage building because "it is part of our historic context." Gerald Gongos, Partner with BKDI Architects, points to the "scale and profile" of tall buildings like Bankers Hall and "how they end against the sky. They inspire awe, pride and a sense of location—like a sundial, you know exactly where it is." The new Transcanada Pipeline tower, he suggests, exhibits "a thoughtful approach to its environment and where in the urban grid it fits." Its use of colour and "curvature to acknowledge its neighbour" to the east, and the curtain wall with mullion spacing "add dynamic texture to the building" But how will future generations view the significance of these buildings in the urban context of Calgary 75 years from now?

In the end, we can't answer that. It seems, after all, that Heritage is an elusive thing to define.

D. Larraine Andrews is a freelancer writer in Calgary.

This article has been reprinted with permission from Legacy, Alberta's Cultural Heritage Magazine, and the author.

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