Preserving musical history and building to engage future enthusiasts
Studio Bell is the new home of the National Music Centre in Calgary, Alberta. This iconic structure houses musical artifacts and offers exhibits, education, and performance facilities for the public to enjoy. The facility’s design was imagined as a living instrument, incorporating curved walls and towering arches throughout, and it’s bridged to the restored historic King Edward hotel across the street.
These unique design features, as well as the location of the building, posed various challenges for the installation of the mechanical systems. We were called in to calibrate the mechanical systems to ensure harmony within the iconic structure.
As Studio Bell stores historical musical artifacts, temperature and humidity considerations were essential to preserve the musical treasures housed within. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning were installed to fit the curves and arches of the design, and to ensure that mechanical noise wouldn’t interfere with the acoustics of the building. The facility is located on a known flood plain, so we placed the mechanical equipment in the penthouse to mitigate damage from potential flooding in the area.
By fine-tuning the mechanical systems to fit the design of this living instrument, our team was able to minimize interference to Studio Bell’s programming and ensure Canada’s music history is safeguarded for years to come.
At a Glance
- Architect
- Allied Works Architecture
- Award
- ACEC Engineering Awards, Award of Excellence and Special Achievement Award, 2017
Jeff Rent, Principal, Team Lead
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