The City of Calgary celebrates the winners of the 2024 Winter Urban Design Competition

The City of Calgary, in partnership with Chinook Blast, is celebrating the winners of the 2024 Winter Urban Design Competition with the city's Winter Festival celebration.

This year's winners are 1000 Faces, (p)arc and Fancy Meeting You Here, all of whom created interactive exhibits that reimagined public spaces and pushed conventional boundaries during the Calgary winter.

These three winners were selected from over three dozen submissions.

Over the past three years, the city has encouraged the design community to experiment with outdoor spaces and reimagine the winter experience, inviting the public to go outside and explore the city. “We are thrilled to partner with the 2024 winning teams and Chinook Blast,” said Kate Zago, Project Manager for the City's Winter Urban Design Competition. “The winning installations are amazing examples of creative and immersive design that will definitely speak to people.”

Patty Pohn, Chair of Chinook Blast and CEO and President of Calgary Arts Development said, “Chinook Blast is pleased to celebrate the winners of the 2024 Winter Urban Design Competition with the City of Calgary. These exhibits capture the spirit of the Chinook Blast, turning winter into a season of excitement and exploration. Get ready to play with this design!”

Below are the details of the three winners.

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1000 Faces: A Fascinating Symphony of Nature

Location: Eau Claire Promenade near SW 6th Street
Period: January 24 to April 15, 2024

Artist Alejandro Figueroa, who won the VR competition at the Phi Center in 2016 and events such as ArtWorkTO 2021, is the mastermind behind the 1000 pages. Suspended from a 40-foot-tall arch, the installation consists of 1,779 Plexiglas panels that move independently to mirror the rhythms of nature. Canadian artist +AMOR also collaborated with Calgary-born artist Dillan (King Aurora) to create an original soundtrack.

Project Team:

• Alejandro Figueroa
• Dylan Schmitz
• Robert Tita
• Amelie Robitaille

(p)arc: A warm and welcoming experience
Location: 228 8th Ave., SE
Date: February 2-19, 2024

Designed by Jonathan Monfries and Madisen Killingsworth, (p)arc provides an interactive experience as users move through the installation. Acting as a gateway to Olympic Plaza, the design focuses on sustainability, reducing landfill material and supporting an inclusive arts program.

Project team:

• Jonathan Monfries
• Madisen Killingsworth
• Mauricio Soto-Rubio

You can be found here: an attractive gathering place
Location: Historic Fire Hall #1 (140 – 6th Avenue SE)
Period: February 2 to February 19, 2024

Developed by The Communication + Design Lab, You can be found here: an attractive gathering place invites people to stop by and join in the winter. The goal 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:

• Shahid Kh. Kareem
• 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 the festival and event season, and find ways to improve safety and accessibility and the economy, particularly in the downtown core during winter.