New Central Library

The New Central Library was designed to bridge the gap between the existing downtown core and the new East Village development. Serving as the flagship library within the City of Calgary, the design concept was focused on social interaction, studying, learning, and community activities. Built on six levels, the building has designated areas for varying uses and houses a 350-seat theatre, performance hall, and public gathering spaces, in addition to its physical collection of books. Constructed atop an existing LRT track, which remained in service continuously during construction, this presented numerous engineering challenges, which the design team addressed while staying on budget.

As the Electrical Engineer, SMP was engaged to design and implement the lighting scheme with a design approach to embrace the ever-changing Southern Alberta sky. The process included opportunities to discuss the integration of lighting into the architecture, which resulted in unique lighting solutions for various spaces within the library.