Beech AND Ipé A Rocky Mountain High N
estled in Banff National Park’s Bow River Valley is an epicenter of cultural advancement. Founded in 1933 by the University of Alberta, Department of Extension, the Banff Centre began with a single drama course. Since then the institution has developed into a globally respected arts, cultural and educational institution and conference facility. In 2004 the Province of Alberta provided $20 million dollars to fund a major redevelopment of the Banff Centre campus, and the three-story facility was completed in 2010. The master revitalization plan developed by the Toronto-based firm Diamond and Schmitt Architects places the Kinnear Centre for Creativity and Innovation at the physical and programmatic heart of the campus. Jack Diamond, principal of Diamond and Schmitt Architects, led the project which meets the criteria for LEED Gold Certification. “Often in architecture you’ve got to resolve opposite and opposing requirements,” says Diamond. “From a functional point of view and an aesthetic point of view, exotic wood was used throughout the project to resolve all of those issues. It is my firm belief that contemporary architecture is not always sterile, and wood is a huge help in creating warmth and a sympathetic environment.” PH OTOG R A PHY BY TOM A R BA N
w INSIDE OUT
The purpose of the Kinnear Centre is to provide a place for meeting, studying, exhibiting, performing and rehearsing for the many varied disciplines of the Banff Centre. To achieve this, the architect had to create a space that could accommodate multiple functionalities without appearing disjointed. “In order to unify the space visually and to foster interaction, we’ve got a large spine that runs through the center of the building. It is really like a gallery with natural light coming through three stories,” says Diamond. “One of the ways we created continuity through the discrete areas of the building was to specify the same material on the vertical surfaces going up all three volumes. And what better material to use than wood?” Wood slats made from European steamed beech (Fagus sylvatica) are used to unify the interior aesthetic. “The wood has a wonderful grain and warmth; it is the color of dark honey.” One of the programmatic challenges of the Kinnear Centre’s interior was to accommodate the quieter pursuits of the Banff Centre, such as literary arts, visual arts and film, within the same building as performance-oriented disciplines like theatre, music and dance. “You want quiet in this kind of circumstance,” says Diamond, “so behind the slats of European steamed beech is sound absorbing material.” OUTSIDE IN
People in Banff are very conscious of the pristine landscape of Banff National Forest, therefore the natural surroundings influenced the design of the Kinnear Centre. The horizontal minimalist exterior contrasts with the impressive mountainous landscape. INTERNATIONAL WOOD
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