Fronting Calgary’s new River Walk, and in between the historic Simmons Mattress Factory and the new pedestrian bridge to St. Patrick’s Island, the M2 Mixed Use Building’s oddly shaped lot presented different conditions on each side and no backside. As the newest building on Calgary’s skyline, M2 has an outsized impact on Calgary’s public life.

To achieve compliance with strict requirements that limit shadow encroachment on the River Walk, the building’s north facade hinges back at each level. The resulting cascading sequence of roof terraces for each tenant effectively extends the public domain of the promenade up and through our project. Along with large curtain-wall windows, these terraces provide expansive views to the river, while the large windows on the south provide views back to the city and maximize daylighting in the open interior spaces. The building’s connections to the street and activation of public space offer a vibrant new attractor for pedestrian activity in a formerly derelict neighborhood.

Client: XYC Design + Development
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Status: Completed (2013 – 19)
Sq Footage: 23,000sf
Program: Restaurants, offices, residential penthouse

Design Team: Eric Bunge, Mimi Hoang | Marc Puig, Amanda Morgan | Kate MacGregor, Tony-Saba Shiber, Albert Figueras

Collaborators: Client: XYC Development | Architect of Record: Riddell Kurczaba | Structural: Lex 3 Engineering | M+P: Emans Smith Anderson Engineering | Electrical: Robertson & Associates Engineering | Civil: Richview Engineering

Photography: Andrew Latreille