Note: In Canada, Town Square operates under the name “Belleville Placemaking.” 

We are delighted to be working for the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) and its partners at Arts Commons and The City of Calgary on the Olympic Plaza Transformation (OPT) project. This undertaking will be a significant milestone in the revitalization of one of Calgary’s most recognizable public spaces. The design brief for the Olympic Plaza competition we won in the summer of 2023 called for an activated, programmed space that would be managed by a capable third-party public-private partnership, a mandate that lies at the heart of our expertise!

“Calgary’s Olympic Plaza has long been a destination for culture and civic gathering in Calgary. While the Olympic Games remain one of the best-known chapters in the plaza’s history, this revitalization ensures that the space will continue to serve as a modern, accessible and inclusive public gathering space for generations to come,” said Kate Thompson, President and CEO of CMLC, development manager for the Arts Commons and Olympic Plaza Transformation projects. “CMLC and our partners have been working with the design team since 2023 to develop a plaza design that integrates seamlessly with the rest of the Arts Commons campus, that honors the plaza’s Olympic legacy, and that enables a range of placemaking and programming opportunities, including cultural events, performances and festivals, while serving as a public space for Calgarians to enjoy day-to-day and year-round.”

The partnership of gh3 Architecture, Urban Design and Landscape Architecture; CCxA Landscape Architecture and Urban Design; and Belleville Placemaking, served as the prime design team for the project. Public engagement in 2016 and 2024 helped to shape key elements of the design, including the integration of Olympic legacy features, the continued presence of a skating rink, and the addition of green spaces, patios, and a pavilion to support year-round activities. Through the design process, CMLC also engaged the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which has endorsed the new plaza’s design in alignment with their expectations for continued activation of Olympic assets and celebration of Olympic legacy.

The design team has maximized the site’s functionality and flexibility by providing a more accessible, barrier-free layout that can support gatherings of up to 5,000 people. The new design offers 96% of the old plaza’s usable space, while also accommodating the footprint of the Arts Commons Transformation (ACT) expansion now underway on the west side of the block.

The reimagined plaza reflects both the historical significance of the location and Calgary’s aspirations for a modern, inclusive public space.

On completion in 2028, Calgarians will recognize familiar elements woven into the new plaza’s design, including one of Calgary’s 1988 Olympic Cauldron and a portion of the plaza’s arches bearing the Latin phrase "Citius, Altius, Fortius" ("Faster, Higher, Stronger"), thoughtfully integrated into the plaza’s north edge.

“This remarkable revitalization of Olympic Plaza represents a bold vision for Calgary, reflecting our city’s commitment to fostering and supporting arts and culture,” said Alex Sarian, President and CEO of Arts Commons. “It is the largest cultural infrastructure project underway in Canada, and when complete it will be a vibrant, world-class cultural hub located in the heart of Calgary. Arts Commons is humbled by the generosity of our funding partners at the Government of Alberta, The City of Calgary, and Dave Werklund and family, without whom none of this would be possible. As Arts Commons becomes the Werklund Centre in 2025 and we look to expand our operations into our new 170,000-square-foot building and undertake the programming and operations of the iconic Olympic Plaza in 2028, we usher in a new era for not only our organization but also for Calgary’s arts and culture sector.”

Transforming a public space like Olympic Plaza requires a unified vision and a coordinated effort to ensure the arts and culture campus connects with the surrounding public realm and supports The City of Calgary’s ambitious vision for downtown Calgary. The project leverages both public funds with private investment to ensure great value for Calgarians and creates lasting benefits that will continue to be enjoyed for generations.

Demolition of the plaza began in January 2025 to facilitate construction on the Arts Commons Transformation expansion, and construction on the plaza itself will begin in earnest in 2027, with EllisDon serving as Construction Manager and Colliers Project Leaders serving as Project Manager for both the ACT Expansion and OPT.