The team at Sturgess Architecture. Photo courtesy Lemermeyer Photography Inc.
Celebrating 20 Years
Glacier Skywalk Photo courtesy of Sturgess Architecture
By Shannon Stucky
O 7th Avenue LRT (with GEC Architecture) Photo courtesy Lemermeyer Photography Inc.
The Water Centre Photo courtesy Lemermeyer Photography Inc.
ver the last 20 years, Sturgess Architecture has been involved in hundreds of projects both big and small, commercial and residential, and in both the public and private sectors. It is known for its unique, creative and sustainable designs, many of which have been recognized on the world stage. Through its many strategic alliances and collaborations with companies like GEC and Manasc Isaac Architects, Sturgess Architecture, and principle Jeremy Sturgess, have been awarded high-profile projects including the 7th Avenue LRT, the Water Centre, the Grand Theatre Restoration and the Glacier Skywalk. The biggest project of the last 10 years has been the 7th Avenue LRT redesign. The challenge was to create a blended space that would be functional for the new extended trains while revitalizing the 7th Avenue retail environment. In this design, it was important for each station to be recognizable while still being part of the whole circuit. The finished stations blend seamlessly into the sidewalks while being defined by the art, Plus 15s, canopies and retail spaces around them. The Water Centre brings two City of Calgary departments together into a creative and sustainable space. The four-storey, 180,000-square-foot building stretches from the Erlton LRT station to the Manchester service yards. Its unique-looking structure was specifically designed to provide natural light for its north-facing, open-styled office space. The south side boasts a fourstorey atrium with a large shallow stair that became a communal meeting and collaborative work space. The Grand Theatre redesign was a major win both for Theatre Junction, which got a new home, and the City of Calgary, who avoided demolishing a heritage building. Sturgess Architecture stepped in to make the best theatre possible on a tight budget, finding inspiration from theatres in Montreal, Toronto and New York. The heritage planners also supported the theatre’s
Sturgess Architecture | Celebrating 20 Years | www.sturgessarchitecture.com
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preservation as building parts from 1912, the 1930s, and the 1950s, were uncovered. The theatre now stands as “a kaleidoscope of Calgary’s history over a 100 years.” In 2010, Sturgess Architecture in conjunction with RJC Structural Engineers won the bid to create the Glacier Skywalk after Parks Canada called for initiatives to engage visitors in the park. The skywalk is an overlook that seems to grow out of the mountain side to hover over the Sunwapta Valley 280 metres below. Its extremely complex design uses ring beams, boxed girders and COR-TEN steel to give the dramatic structure an effortless and natural look. The Glacier Skywalk is located 20 minutes north of the Columbia Icefields and is scheduled to open May 2014. Jeremy Sturgess credits the firm’s success with its ability to do “significant work at any level.” Its reputation has grown from a small residential-based boutique firm to one that is capable of working on even the largest of projects including the benchmark-making Bow building in downtown Calgary. Jeremy, a member of the Calgary planning commission, is excited for what the next 20 years will bring to Sturgess Architecture and to the city of Calgary in design, innovation and sustainability.
www.rjc.ca Congratulations on 20 Years of Inspiring Architecture Proud to have collaborated over the decades
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Clients and friends for 20 years... Wishing Jeremy and the team at Sturgess Architecture all the best as they celebrate their 20th Anniversary. ~ Robert Lemermeyer
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We are pleased to be implementing Sturgess Architecture’s award-winning Glacier Skywalk design for Brewster Travel Canada in Jasper National Park. Congratulations to Jeremy and his team at Sturgess Architecture on reaching their 20th Anniversary milestone.
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Sturgess Architecture | Celebrating 20 Years | www.sturgessarchitecture.com