“We are pleased to become part of the East Village community,” said John Ford, a lead engineer with Halsall Associates Limited in Calgary. “We wanted the structure to blend in with the aesthetics of the area yet embody functionality for the surrounding community.” Halsall has been designing innovative and complex structures across Canada for over 50 years and is excited to be part of such an important structure in the city’s civic architecture.

As part of an effort to develop the East Village into a dynamic community that integrates into the downtown core, CMLC commissioned the international contest in September 2009. From 33 initial submissions from major firms across the world, three finalists were chosen to participate in a public presentation and were subject to the opinions of not only the CMLC, but of interested Calgarians.

The pedestrian bridge is 170 meters in length and is split into three arches of 50, 30 and 90 meters in length. The bridge will connect St. Patrick’s Island to the East Village to the south and to the Bow River path system to the north. As the bridge meets St. Patrick’s Island, it becomes a true viewing spot where passers-by can take in the surrounding environment. The bridge may feature animated lighting triggered by motion, making it a truly interactive experience Calgarians can call their own.

The CMLC’s international contest judged both architectural and engineering components of each submission. The CMLC Board of Directors was impressed with the sensibility, aesthetics and thematic approach taken by RFR/Halsall. The arches were particularly remarkable to Calgarians as some saw them mimic a stone skipping across the river while others saw rolling hills or a Chinook arch in the bridge’s profile.

As plans stand now, the park would stretch from Grand all the way past Alameda and in certain areas it would extend a little on both sides of the 101. The highway would most likely need some upgrades — it would have to be dug a little deeper and an underground parking lot would be added, in hopes of getting people to leave their cars once they get downtown. The master plan also includes development to place some new signature buildings along the park as well as some additional mixed-use development, like retail and residential, to bring more than just business people to the downtown area.

Cost estimates right now are in the $800 million range and the design firm EDW Aecom is working on the rollout plan, which is expected to happen in stages as money becomes available. The first community meeting will be held on Thursday, May 13th from 4-6 pm at the CalTrans District & Building and all are welcome.

Here’s a detailed project description:

H’s design of a GREEN ENERGY THEME PARK focuses on the integration of landscape with building to create an experiential awareness of the green energy life cycle. This strategy challenges the segregated tower / podium / landscape hierarchy which dominates current office complex typologies. The design inverts the normative scheme to create a polycentric organization with an open civic space at the heart of the site.

The podium mass is divided and dispersed into a series of sloped GREEN ROOFS that integrate with the landscape. This topographical strategy forms valleys that channel light and enhance air circulation while creating pedestrian friendly connections.

Emerging from the sloped landscaped podium is a 29 story tower that contains much of the office program for KEPCO. A HELICAL ATRIUM space extends from the central civic plaza and moves up the tower volume. This atypical atrium promotes building ventilation, natural light, and views.

With the option to be open to the environment or completely sealed, the operable atrium buffers office space form harsh weather conditions as well as naturally ventilates the building during mild weather conditions. For the façade of the tower, each side of the tower is individually designed to accommodate orientation related conditions such as sunlight and wind.

Various sun shading devices are unique on each side of the tower and a north side moss catch system naturally insulates the building. Solar collectors/panels of the building skin system and of the SOLAR FIELD harvest the sun’s energy while daylight sensors and smart control systems reduce energy waste.

Atop of the landscape podium is a field of wind turbines that transforms strong westward winds into energy. The WIND VALLEY between the podium masses captures prevailing winds to circulate air into the open public spaces. This captured wind is collected at the base of the helical atrium and, due to increased pressure and the stack effect, is propelled vertically through the atrium. Water retention systems and green pavement parking prevent excessive runoff and waste.

Rainwater is harvested, filtered, and treated through various features including RAIN FARMS, and the resultant grey water is reused for landscape irrigation and building plumbing. Geothermal systems are integrated into the periphery of the site and the green roofs further insulate the podium mass. The accumulation of these solar, wind, water and geothermal components comprise the GREEN ENERGY THEME PARK where visitors can experience and learn about the production of green energy from various natural energy sources.

An unforgettable structure sure to inspire emotion, the ICARUS tower is currently aiming for LEED Platinum certification. The entire surface of the building’s envelope is decked out in a new breed of hyper-efficient solar cells and the roof features a sophisticated rainwater catchment system that will harvest water from the region’s frequent downpours.

The skyscraper is expected to create thousands of new construction jobs, many of which will continue as indentured employment opportunities in the building’s engine room. The skyscraper’s on-site power plant is powered a sophisticated system of levers, pulleys and counterbalances that produce enough human-generated kinetic energy to illuminate the structure’s 100,000,000 LEDs.

Celebrated lead architect Howard Roark describes the structure as “a pearl shining amid the desert sands… a diamond in the rough.” When questioned about the building’s inspiration he states: “Before you can do things for people, you must be the kind of man who can get things done. But to get things done, you must love the doing, not the people! Your own work, not any possible object of your charity. I’ll be glad if men who need it find a better method of living in the house I built, but that’s not the motive of my work, nor my reason, nor my reward! My reward, my purpose, my life, is the work itself – my work done my way! Nothing else matters to me!”

The self-sustaining tower for the 2016 Olympic Games is designed to create renewable energy for use in the Olympic Village as well as the city of Rio. A large solar power plant generates energy during the day. Any excess power not used during the day is utilized to pump seawater into a storage tank within the tower. At night, the water is released to power turbines, which will provide nighttime power for the city. On special occasions water is pumped out to create a waterfall over the edges of the building, which RAFAA says will be, “a symbol for the forces of nature.” Info on the size of the solar and pumped water storage system is not available yet.

Access to the eco tower is gained through an urban plaza and amphitheater 60 meters above sea level, which can be used for social gatherings. On the ocean side of the 105 meter tower (behind the waterfall) is a cafeteria and shop. An elevator takes visitors up to the top floor where an observation deck offers 360 views of the ocean and city. At level 90.5, a bungee platform is available for adventurous visitors.

The proposed structure would also have glass passageways, letting visitors look out onto the city. If anyone has any more information about the eco-features of this center, we’d love to hear them – so share your thoughts in the comments below.

Built into the existing topography of the hilly site, the stadium bowl itself will built on grade, reducing the amount of steel needed for structural support by 40%. This reduction in virgin materials is also adding up to significant cost savings, and the proposal for the stadium came in around US$300m-$400m less than other recently proposed NFL stadiums. The Los Angeles Stadium is budgeted for $800m and will include a retail promenade, entertainment zones, VIP boxes, recreation facilities and much more. And when it isn’t football season, the stadium and facilities can be used for many other purposes like soccer games, college and high school football, and large concerts.

This will be the first LEED compliant NFL stadium when built and Aedas has included a number of eco features. Besides the significant reduction of materials, large swaths of area will be green space and help infiltrate storm water. Aedas has also included initiatives to reduce CO2 emissions and the stadium will have many recycling initiatives. The NFL, the city of Los Angeles and Aedas hope that this will be the most environmentally progressive stadium in the U.S.

The project includes a tied-arch bridge over the Waal river with a clear span of 285 m, as well as the approach viaducts that make up a total length of 1.2 km. This new crossing will connect the western part of the city to the ring road and will allow redevelopment of the southern docklands.

The scenography of the new crossing has played an important role in the project. The design results from the imposing dimensions of the river Waal, including forelands and shores, and in turn shapes the surrounding urban environment.

The new crossing is not considered as a highway bridge but rather as a city bridge: The material used for the approach viaducts is brick masonry to respect the roman heritage of Nijmegen and the piers follow the traditional building techniques of in-situ concrete. The human scale plays an important role in the plan view, elevation, materials and details of the design, being the link between an optimized engineering process and the surrounding urban landscape and architecture.

The Ecorium Project comprises a 33,000 sq meter nature reserve including a large wild plant area and a wetland reserve. In the center of the park is a large system of interlinking wedge-shaped greenhouses. These greenhouses will feature advanced systems capable of adjusting the internal conditions based on the outside climatic conditions in order to minimize energy usage indoors. The exterior of each greenhouse is built out of metal panels, low-iron and low-e double glazing, as well as wood and plexiglass. Seen from above the greenhouses will appear as a sinuous river.

The purpose of the National Ecological Institute is to study nature’s converging eco-systems while ensuring the safety, stability and the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature. A spokesperson for the NEI says, “The NEI will play a important role as a think tank for research and policy making. Additionally, this institution will foster and nurture the general public’s awareness, educate and [promote] the importance of the environment through exhibitions and education programs.”

Turbine City is a way to “spin” turbines in a new light for people who might think of them as unappealing eyesores, and could attract tourists, sailors, offshore oil-workers and others to see the beauty of wind farms with their own eyes. Plus, it makes a lot of sense to have the structures perform double duty as both energy harvesting devices and a place for people to find shelter and enjoyment.

To be located in Stavanger, Norway, Turbine City would also be self-sustaining in terms of power, needing just 1MW (from 8MW turbines) to run. Since Norway is somewhat (in)famous for its production of oil, Turbine City could also help gain the country some fans in the clean and alternative energy arenas.