Calgary’s Arts Commons transformation shortlisted for 2025 World Architecture Award

Plans unveiled for re-designed Arts Commons

Calgary’s Arts Commons is getting a new name and a new look and earlier this week got a salute from the World Architecture Awards, when its transformation was shortlisted for a 2025 award.

The transformation, which is part of a $660-million redevelopment that will add a 1,000-seat theatre in Olympic Plaza and a 200-seat studio theatre to Arts Commons, was cited in the culture section.

It will be in competition against 15 other cultural projects from around the world, including the expansion of a convention centre in Borneo, a meditation hall in Vietnam, classical music recording studios in London (the Maida Vale) -- and the Qiddiya Performing Arts Centre in Saudi Arabia, which is located in a city “wholly dedicated to play and an epicentre of entertainment, sports and culture,” according to the World Architecture Awards website.

On his LinkedIn page, Arts Commons president and CEO Alex Sarian thanked architecture firms KPMB Architects, the Tawaw Architecture Collective, Hindle Architects and its partners, the Calgary Municipal Land Authority (CMLC) and the City of Calgary.

The World Architecture Awards, which takes place Nov. 12-14 in Miami, bills itself as "the world’s largest festival and live awards competition dedicated to celebrating and sharing architectural excellence from across the globe."

By the time project leaders learn whether or not they’ve won a World Architecture Award, Arts Commons will have become the Werklund Centre, as a tribute to the Werklund family, who donated $75 million to the transformation project.

For more about the World Architecture Awards, go here.

For more about the Arts Commons transformation project, go here.