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City announces architect for new Airdrie Multi-Use Facility and Library

Dec. 20, 2021/For Immediate Release

The City of Airdrie is excited to announce Gibbs Gage Architects as the lead architect for Airdrie’s new community space and public library.

“On behalf of City Council, we are excited to have reached this milestone with Airdrie’s new Multi-Use Facility and Library project, says Mayor Peter Brown. “We are excited to see how the project progresses and look forward to seeing how Gibbs Gage Architects’ designs will accommodate our community needs through public consultation.”

The architect is responsible for creating the overall design of the project including the exterior architecture, the interior design and the outdoor space around the new building. They are charged with incorporating the requirements set out in the Functional Program while staying within a budget of $62.7 million. Over 16 proposals were received during the RFP process.

The new facility will be a central place for residents to access resources and participate in programming in new and expanded spaces. Central to the facility will be a new 60,000 sq ft. modern Library as well as another 25,000 sq.ft. of multi-use space that will encourage social connections and gathering, exploration and learning through:

  • open and welcoming exterior spaces that will provide links between the surroundings, landscape elements on the site and the access to the facility.
  • access to the potential partnering services.
  • a central atrium that serves as a visual draw into the facility and provide casual gathering spaces. This area will be used for both formal and informal gatherings.
  • a café located centrally in the facility.
  • a large program/meeting room with a capacity of 100 people will provide a wide variety of Library programs, the space will also be able to convert into smaller units to be rented out.
  • a community living room space that features an informal lounge area with fireplace.
  • a makerspace area that provides opportunities for individuals to create, engage and discover while using existing and emerging technology.
  • two children’s areas that will provide pre-school children and their caregivers with an open program area, a play area, and a program nook, as well as a school-aged area with makerspace and tutoring pods.
  • a young adult area envisioned to include collections of interest to teens, a variety of seating areas and a gaming space.
  • an adult area that includes fiction and non-fiction as well as specialty collections, a mid-sized program room, meeting rooms and a reader’s lounge.
  • a quiet study room that will be a retreat space and feature local history, local authors, and genealogy collections.
  • and over 700 seats or stations for visitors and customers.

“We are thrilled with the response to the public competition for architect services to design the new Airdrie Multi-Use Facility and Library. Architectural firms from across Canada and the United States submitted proposals and we were thoroughly impressed with the quality of each submission,” says Michelle Lock, director, Community Services. "A multi-stage evaluation was carried out by our Project Evaluation Committee and we are very excited to begin our project journey with Gibbs Gage Architects.”

Gibbs Gage Architects has a 38-year history working across Western Canada and has been the lead design consultant on various successful projects in the Calgary area such as Brookfield Residential YMCA at Seton, Genesis Centre of Community Wellness and the SAIT Trades and Technology Complex.

Over the coming months, the architect team will begin conducting engagement sessions with City Council, the Airdrie Library Board, Library staff and potential community partners to gather information that will serve as a guide in creating concepts for the building and site. Recommendations will be presented to Council for consideration in Feb. 2022. City Council will also be considering options for prospective partner organizations and new programs and services that may be included with the 25,000 sq.ft. of multi-use space as well as considering options for an official facility name.

The new Airdrie Multi-Use Facility and Library is envisioned to be a landmark destination that offers a wide variety of opportunities, both indoor and outdoor, for citizens to gather, connect and learn, and as a result, bring energy and vibrancy to Airdrie’s downtown. The opening of the new Airdrie Public Library is currently set for 2025 to be constructed at the location of Airdrie’s old fire hall located on Main Street SE.

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Media contact:
Michelle Lock
Director, Community Services
403.948.8804 ext: 8872