National Music Centre | 7 Floors | Construction

[UofC.engineer]

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

It would be really nice for there to be some CRUs or something that allows more interaction with the street. A fantastic re-skinning could help too, but only partially.

I think there is a Rosso cafe facing 4th street. And I heard the roof top patio on the King Eddy is fantastic!

[kap384]

How does one get onto the Eddy rooftop these days? Does admission to Studio Bell get you access? Is it a separate ticket with direct access? Does buying tickets to a musical performance in the Eddy get you there? Maybe you just walk right up?

Never mind, found answer. Walk right up

[Calgarian]

Is the rooftop even open? didn't see any guardrails up there last time I went by...

[You Need A Thneed]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

Is the rooftop even open? didn't see any guardrails up there last time I went by...

It's open.

[dazzlingdave88]

We were up there yesterday. T. Buckley Trio was doing covers as part of the Stampede music series.

It's a very nice patio.

You get to it through an entrance on the east side of the King Eddy. Take a massive elevator to the fourth floor.

[McMurph]

Rooftop is open with live music every night during the Stampede. If not for the weather, it would be a good place to watch the fireworks.

The interior of the main building is beautiful and the exhibitions and programming are actually quite good. I knew that Cantos had a great collection, I was just afraid that they blew their budget on architecture and wouldn't be able to mount much of a show. While their are a couple of exhibits that are a bit thin it is a great museum over all, particularly considering that it's only been open two weeks.

Went there with a bunch of out-of-town relatives, including a professional musician. All were impressed. The price, though steep, is reasonable for museums of its ilk.

[mellbell416]

Originally Posted by Ice Cream Man

Don't worry, the Glenbow will be getting a face lift soon - their RFP for planning, programming and architectural services for the entire building closes next week.

Hunh - Glenbow needs a serious facelift, but more in the art that they choose to display. Totally uninspiring. I haven't been there in a couple of years, but that Asian exhibit has been there for almost 20 years... It is such a shame that Calgary doesn't have a halfway decent visual arts museum. Food and music have come a long way, but that is a huge gap.

[DizzyEdge]

Which leads to the question, what happened with the planned Modern Art gallery?

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

Which leads to the question, what happened with the planned Modern Art gallery?

They are still turning the old planetarium into an art gallery are they not?

[ArchDesign]

Yes, a contemporary art gallery is still in the works for the centennial planetarium site. You can read some more on this at the Contemporary Calgary website. Will be interesting to have these two facilities bookend the downtown core.

[MalcolmTucker]

I believe work will start on Temporary Contemporary (or perhaps, final fit out of it) after their big fundraiser in late October. http://canadianart.ca/news/contemporary-calgary-begins-constructing-gallery-in-old-planetarium/ in the old Children's Museum area. They showed renderings of the proposed space at last year's fundraiser.

The plan:

/ THE PATH IS EVIDENT
Together with the City of Calgary, we have an opportunity to make this vision a reality over three phases.

Temporary Contemporary (Now) – A renovation of a portion of the existing Planetarium building with necessary upgrades by the City to allow occupancy.

Phase One (2018) – A renovation of all public areas (retail shop, café and studios) and five new exhibition spaces in the full Centennial Planetarium building, plus administration and back-of-house spaces.

Phase Two (TBD) – A new state-of-the-art addition with 10,000 square feet of additional exhibition space.

[*Stardust*]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

I believe work will start on Temporary Contemporary (or perhaps, final fit out of it) after their big fundraiser in late October. http://canadianart.ca/news/contemporary-calgary-begins-constructing-gallery-in-old-planetarium/ in the old Children's Museum area. They showed renderings of the proposed space at last year's fundraiser.

The plan:

In addition to the expansions, I hope that means tearing down the old science centre and building from the ground up. I think the old science centre is such an eye sore.

[googspecial]

Unlikely ^ It's on the Historical Resource list for Brutalist Architecture

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by *Stardust*

In addition to the expansions, I hope that means tearing down the old science centre and building from the ground up. I think the old science centre is such an eye sore.

I love the old planetrarium! It has amazing potential.

[DizzyEdge]

One thing which I think could help it is to level out the berm-like land around it, giving it far more visibility from the street


http://www.albertaonrecord.ca/

Also the (temporary?) building to the North obscures it

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/1313+Ce...78d0b6377e!8m2!3d51.040067!4d-114.063729

[*Stardust*]

Next step will be to repurpose Mewata Armoury (is that place still being used?) I know it belongs to the federal government, but to make it into another destination such as a museum or a market would be awesome. To have that and the contemporary art gallery would make that area a hot spot.

[milomilo]

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

One thing which I think could help it is to level out the berm-like land around it, giving it far more visibility from the street


http://www.albertaonrecord.ca/

Also the (temporary?) building to the North obscures it

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/1313+Ce...78d0b6377e!8m2!3d51.040067!4d-114.063729

Wow, despite having walked or driven past that building many times, I don't think I've ever seen/looked at it. Definitely not an eyesore - it should be more on display if anything.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by *Stardust*

Next step will be to repurpose Mewata Armoury (is that place still being used?) I know it belongs to the federal government, but to make it into another destination such as a museum or a market would be awesome. To have that and the contemporary art gallery would make that area a hot spot.

I think they still store military gear in it though. We may not have an active army base in Calgary anymore but they still have reserve equipment here. The other area I've seen it is at the Navy building on the corner of 17th and Crowchild.

[CalgaryAlex]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

I think they still store military gear in it though. We may not have an active army base in Calgary anymore but they still have reserve equipment here. The other area I've seen it is at the Navy building on the corner of 17th and Crowchild.

I also think there is a fair amount of activity at Mewata related to cadets - I've seen a lot of kids in uniform run in and out of the place while driving up 11th St.

[artvandelay]

Mewata is the HQ for the King's Own Calgary Regiment as well as the Calgary Highlanders (reserve units). It's fairly heavily used by the military.