Studio Bell, Calgary
[Exterior of Studio Bell, the new home of the National Music Centre. Courtesy Allied Works Architecture. Photo © Jeremy Bittermann]
Studio Bell, the new home for the National Music Centre (NMC) of Canada, was completed at the end of 2016. Designed by Allied Works Architecture (AWA), the new, state-of-the-art cultural centre includes a performance hall, recording facility, broadcast studio, live music venue and museum - the first facility of its kind in North America.
Located in Calgary, Alberta, Studio Bell aims to connect visitors with Canada’s rich musical history through live performances, exhibitions, and interactive education programmes.
[East Village Skybridge connecting Studio Bell and the King Edward Hotel. Courtesy Allied Works Architecture. Photo © Jeremy Bittermann]
The project is AWA’s most ambitious to date. The structure rises in nine interlocking towers, each clad in glazed terracotta and encompassing 14,864 sq. m (160,000 sq. ft). The subtle curves provide a reference to acoustic vessels and offer views of the Bow River and surrounding city.
The site also includes an existing masonry structure, the 1905 King Edward Hotel, once the home of a legendary blues club. The historic building has been fully refurbished and now houses a radio station, recording studios, a media centre, classrooms and artist-in-residence spaces.
[Interstitial space between towers. Courtesy Allied Works Architecture. Photo © Jeremy Bittermann]
A large skybridge connects the new structure to the historic building.
In the East Block, visitors enter a central lobby that opens upward through the building’s five levels. Two helical staircases flank the lobby and fill the space between the towers. The main performance hall overlooks the lobby from the second floor, and serves as the building’s programmatic and structural centre.
[300-seat performance hall with flexible seating and movable acoustic wall. Courtesy Allied Works Architecture. Photo © Jeremy Bittermann]
Andrew Mosker, president and CEO of the NMC said:
"The National Music Centre is poised to become one of Canada's most significant national institutions, inspiring new generations of musicians and music lovers and catalysing the redevelopment Calgary's East Village as a core urban district.”
[View looking up from performance hall. Courtesy Allied Works Architecture. Photo © Jeremy Bittermann]
Images and content courtesy of AWA.
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
The new NEC4 contract creates a true procurement alliance arrangement for all stakeholders.
Andrew Strauss talks about performance and team building at the 2018 BSRIA Briefing.
Last chance to become our new editor
Applications have to be in by the end of the week.
Smart building in the smart city
Reflections on the 5th Annual Global Congress of Knowledge Economy, held in Qingdao, China.
An artist finds ruined and decaying buildings a source of inspiration for his work. Book review.
When is there a right to light, and what happens if it is obstructed?
Infrastructure nationalisation
What would the nationalisation of economic infrastructure mean for GB?
A new guide to improving value by reducing design error.
We've reached 80,000 page views a day and 10,000 registered users. Why not join them?
A masterplan is a framework within which a location is encouraged to develop or change. Read our introductory article.
New consultation announced on a specialist Housing Court to settle landlord-tenant disputes.