The City of Calgary, in partnership with Chinook Blast, the city’s winter festival celebration, is celebrating the winners of the 2024 Winter City Design Competition.
This year’s winners are 1000 Faces, (p)arc, and Fancy Meeting You Here, all of which reimagined public spaces during a Calgary winter and created interactive exhibits that pushed conventional boundaries.
These three winners were selected out of over three dozen submissions.
For the past three years, the City has invited the design community to experiment with outdoor spaces as well as re-imagine a winter experience that encourages the public to go outside and explore the city. “We are so excited about the 2024 winning teams and to partner with Chinook Blast,” said Kate Zago, the City’s project lead for the Winter City Design Competition. “The winning installations are amazing examples of creative and immersive designs that will definitely have people talking.”
Patti Pon, Chair of Chinook Blast and CEO and president of Calgary Arts Development said, “Chinook Blast is excited to celebrate the 2024 Winter City Design Competition winners with The City of Calgary. These exhibits embody the spirit of Chinook Blast, transforming winter into a season of excitement and exploration. Get ready to engage with these designs!”
Below are details about the three winners.
1000 Faces: A Mesmerizing Symphony of Nature
Location: Eau Claire promenade near 6 Street SW
Dates: Jan. 24 to April 15, 2024
Artist Alejandro Figueroa, who has won events like the VR contest at the Phi Center in 2016 and ArtWorkTO 2021, is the leader of the creation, 1000 Faces. This installation, suspended on a 40-foot high arch, is made up of 1,779 plexiglass tiles moving independently to mirror nature’s rhythm. Canadian artist +AMOR has also collaborated with Calgary-born artist Dillan (King Aurorus) to produce an original soundtrack.
Project team:
- Alejandro Figueroa
- Dillan Schmitz
- Robert Tita
- Amélie Robitaille
(p)arc: A Warm and Welcoming Experience
Location: 228 8 Avenue SE
Dates: Feb. 2 to 19, 2024
Designed by Jonathan Monfries and Madisen Killingsworth, (p)arc offers an interactive experience as users traverse through the installation. The design, which acts as a gateway to Olympic Plaza, focuses on sustainability, minimizing landfill material, and supporting inclusive artistic programming.
Project team:
- Jonathan Monfries
- Madisen Killingsworth
- Mauricio Soto-Rubio
Fancy Meeting You Here: Engaging Place for People to Gather
Location: Historic Fire Hall # 1 Courtyard (140 – 6 Avenue SE)
Dates: Feb. 2 to Feb. 19, 2024
Designed by The Communication + Design Lab, Fancy Meeting You Here: Engaging Place for People to Gather encourages people to stop and connect during winter. The intent of the installation is to transform a dark space in downtown Calgary with an interactive lighting design that provides a warm place for people to gather.
Project team:
- Shaheed H. Karim
- Karim Manji
- Natasha Karim-Manji
The competition is part of The City’s Winter City Strategy, which aims to celebrate Calgary’s unique winter opportunities, extend its festival and event season and find ways to improve safety and accessibility and the economy, especially in the downtown core during the winter.