The City of Lethbridge has partnered with the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape (SAPL) at the University of Calgary for an exciting project focused on examining the redesign of Lethbridge's urban core. This collaboration provides an invaluable opportunity for graduate-level SAPL students to gain hands-on experience by working on real-life projects, while simultaneously assisting the Opportunity Lethbridge Department as it continues to support the revitalization of Lethbridge's Downtown and Warehouse Districts.
"The City is always on the lookout for new ways to continue revitalizing our Urban Core," says Logan Bartholow, Project Planning Lead with Opportunity Lethbridge. "Partnering with institutions like the University of Calgary's School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape is one way that we can explore interesting concepts around urban design and placemaking. These sorts of partnerships are more important than ever as our cities face crucial challenges that require innovative approaches, and the City will look to continue leveraging these partnerships in the future."
The primary objective of this work integrated learning project was to present innovative ideas for enhancing the design of public spaces in the urban core of Lethbridge. Emphasizing the creation of a connected and vibrant network of civic spaces, the students aimed to attract people and facilitate their movement through significant areas. The focus was on utilizing and improving the spaces between these areas, including prominent buildings such as the Southern Alberta Art Gallery, CASA, Lethbridge Public Library Main Branch, and the Civic Common.
"Working with the City of Lethbridge on an urban scale project to revitalize their downtown core was an extremely rewarding experience," says Megan Taylor (MArch '24), a participating student. "It allowed us to explore our skills at a new scale while using data and research to analyze the planned impacts of our design alongside real-world challenges. This opportunity will impact our thinking as we progress in our education and careers."
The project was approached with an urban design lens, with the goal of establishing a strong connection between individuals and the urban core. Students from diverse backgrounds formed small groups to provide a range of perspectives and innovative solutions. This collaboration builds upon SAPL's experience working with various communities on different projects, showcasing their expertise and commitment to community-driven design within a global perspective.
"Cities demand transdisciplinary and cross-sectoral solutions," says Prof. Alberto de Salvatierra, Director, Center for Civilization, and Associate Professor of Urbanism and Data in Architecture, at SAPL. "This is why instructional models that catalyze productive collisions between faculty-led research labs, student-engaged studio environments, and partner-supported contexts, like a Municipality, are both timely and sharp tools that can facilitate tackling complex urban questions."
The students presented their completed projects on Monday to City administration. By engaging with SAPL students, the City aims to explore fresh ideas and leverage their creativity to contribute to the ongoing revitalization of the urban core. The project also contributes to the City's commitment to Partnership Excellence, including working with the world class Post-Secondary Institutions in Southern Alberta to improve the design and delivery of the programs and services that residents and businesses depend on.
The project was executed through a graduate-level SAPL course taught by Prof. de Salvatierra and Prof. Dan Hapton; joined by Teaching Assistant Teegan Heinricks (MArch '23). The project was supported by the Civic Commons Catalyst (CCC) Initiative, a research and innovation platform for city revitalization seed-funded by the Alberta Real Estate Foundation (AREF) and led by the Center for Civilization, a design research lab and think tank at the University of Calgary School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape.
