South Bank Mixed-Use Development: Evolving Calgary’s Oldest Neighbourhood at Human Scale

In creating a mixed-use development project in Inglewood Calgary, our client, J.D. Hill Investments sought to deliver high-quality rental housing to the city’s oldest neighbourhood. Rather than impose a new identity on the block, the goal of this project was to enhance the street’s charm and character through public amenities and a vibrant streetscape. The building pays homage to the history of the neighborhood, as well as provide modern living, suiting the lifestyles of those who call it home.

The laneway behind the South Bank property is adjacent to an established, residential neighbourhood, so the new construction had to complement it. All outward aspects of the new construction had to fit contextually on a street where modern buildings stand shoulder-to-shoulder with structures dating back to the 1800s. With so many Inglewood residents commuting by car, this new building had to accommodate that lifestyle without jamming the street with parked vehicles, while also making room for the electric-powered commutes of tomorrow.

Respect for the community was paramount in designing for the evolution of a historic mixed-use neighbourhood. Working in the spirit of our Lifescape™ approach, the experiential design at ground-level was essential to what we created in collaboration with the client and the community. The laneway that fronts onto existing low-rise residential has been activated as a front door to proposed live/work units on the ground floor of Southbank, providing an amenity for both sets of residents. Community spaces were conceived to be oversized and provide flexible programming opportunities. Each modern addition serves to enhance the dynamics that make this unique place livable. As the project progressed, the Inglewood Community Association became a vocal supporter of the project, championing our ideas around underground parking and rooftop amenities to the City of Calgary.

The low-rise, high-density character of the building bucks the trend towards towers – South Bank achieves street-friendly density with just five floors. There is an overall architectural language that enhances the overall fabric of the local community.

Serving as the gateway from downtown to Inglewood, South Bank presents a complimentary set of identities: one building is experienced as four separate spaces. The townhouses and lofts compliment and augment the pedestrian-friendly environment, as the building welcomes residents and visitors through its main entrance at the top of the laneway.

The roof-top amenities include a pergola for residents to enjoy as they gather on the terrace and community garden. To accommodate all of the necessary parking for the community, we split the commercial parking between this new building and its neighbour across the street; so that each residence would have a dedicated parking space.

South Bank’s below-grade parking area includes over a dozen charging stations for electric vehicles. Extra attention was paid to the insulation and acoustics of the live-work spaces, residences, and commercial storefronts in relation to the natural and urban environment.

In honoring the varied experiences of Calgary’s first community from the earliest stages of the design process, we created a unique space for urban living that struck a chord with the neighbourhood and the rest of the city. The residential portion of South Bank—62 apartments and seven laneway townhouses—reached 100% capacity during the height of the pandemic, out-performing the pre-pandemic projections set forth by the property manager.