Downtown Calgary: "Looking Up" Tour!

One of the things I like to do when flaneuring downtown Calgary is to “look up” at how the buildings meet Calgary’s bold blue sky. While much of the discussion around our downtown is negative these days, I found looking at these photos to be quite uplifting. I like to see the glass as being three quarters full, rather than a quarter empty when I am downtown.

In selecting what photo to choose for this tour, I was reminded that Calgary’s downtown has some pretty amazing architecture and urban design.

Hope you enjoy this fun “Looking Up!” tour of downtown Calgary. Be sure to scroll to the end as I think I saved the best for last!

Old City Hall reflected in the Municipal Building.

Old City Hall reflected in the Municipal Building.

Chinese Cultural Centre ceiling.

Chinese Cultural Centre ceiling.

Calgary Tower

Calgary Tower

New Central Library staircase

New Central Library staircase

New Central Library reading room ceiling.

New Central Library reading room ceiling.

Chinatown and The Bow

Chinatown and The Bow

Brookfield Place

Brookfield Place

Doug Driediger mural “Giving Wings To The Dream.”

Doug Driediger mural “Giving Wings To The Dream.”

The Public Building, now home to the Jack Singer Concert Hall.

The Public Building, now home to the Jack Singer Concert Hall.

The back of the Grain Exchange Building

The back of the Grain Exchange Building

Windows: Old vs new.

Windows: Old vs new.

Oil rig workers on the back of the Petroleum Club. Doug Driediger mural.

Oil rig workers on the back of the Petroleum Club. Doug Driediger mural.

Urban surrealism

Urban surrealism

“Swarm” by Stuart Keeler is a swarm of leaf seeds commonly called “keys” integrated into the glass canopy of the 6th Street LRT Station on 7th Ave SW

“Swarm” by Stuart Keeler is a swarm of leaf seeds commonly called “keys” integrated into the glass canopy of the 6th Street LRT Station on 7th Ave SW

The outside roof of the Chinese Cultural centre

The outside roof of the Chinese Cultural centre

The 300 block of Stephen Avenue aka The Trees / The Pooper Scoopers

The 300 block of Stephen Avenue aka The Trees / The Pooper Scoopers

Old City Hall Clock Tower

Old City Hall Clock Tower

Luminous Crossing by Cliff Garten Studios is a multi-component artwork the includes 20 sculptures, two large scale towers and three hanging works at four LRT Stations on 7th Ave.

Luminous Crossing by Cliff Garten Studios is a multi-component artwork the includes 20 sculptures, two large scale towers and three hanging works at four LRT Stations on 7th Ave.

Historic Hudson’s Bay department store.

Historic Hudson’s Bay department store.

The Princeton & The Shaw

The Princeton & The Shaw

Nation Music Center facade creates a rich, colour field painting in the bright winter sun.

Nation Music Center facade creates a rich, colour field painting in the bright winter sun.

8th Street SW Underpass.

8th Street SW Underpass.

Old School

Old School

Chinatown Ornamentation

Chinatown Ornamentation

The Edison & The Tower

The Edison & The Tower

Stephen Avenue National Historic District has many hidden gems.

Stephen Avenue National Historic District has many hidden gems.

TRIO at the new Central Library, by Christian Moeller

TRIO at the new Central Library, by Christian Moeller

Hollinsworth Building & Bankers Hall

Hollinsworth Building & Bankers Hall

Burns Building: Ornamentation

Burns Building: Ornamentation

Urban densification?

Urban densification?

The Beltline Lookout

The Beltline Lookout

Light Bubbles

Light Bubbles

Between The Earth & The Sky- Measuring The Immeasurable by Jacqueline Metz and Nancy Chew at Bankers Hall southwest plaza.

Between The Earth & The Sky- Measuring The Immeasurable by Jacqueline Metz and Nancy Chew at Bankers Hall southwest plaza.

Day’s end…

Day’s end…

Centrium: The Jewel

Centrium: The Jewel

Lightening Bolt at The Bow

Lightening Bolt at The Bow

The Ghost

The Ghost

The Skyscraper

The Skyscraper

Chinook Arc by Joe O’Connell and Blessing Hancock.

Chinook Arc by Joe O’Connell and Blessing Hancock.

Skyscraper 2

Skyscraper 2

Burns Building

Burns Building

Twilight 1

Twilight 1

Blue Hour

Blue Hour

Grain Exchange

Grain Exchange

Old vs New: Art Deco

Old vs New: Art Deco

Historic

Historic

Framed

Framed

Porte Cochere de Lumiere by Michael Hayden

Porte Cochere de Lumiere by Michael Hayden

“Wander” by Derek Besant, Centre Street LRT station canopy.

“Wander” by Derek Besant, Centre Street LRT station canopy.

Brutalism

Brutalism

Cubism

Cubism

Juxtaposition

Juxtaposition

Skywalkers aka “Weather Vanes: by Colette Whiten and Paul Kipps, Bankers Hall southeast plaza

Skywalkers aka “Weather Vanes: by Colette Whiten and Paul Kipps, Bankers Hall southeast plaza

Prehistoric 1

Prehistoric 1

Prehistoric 2

Prehistoric 2

Triangles

Triangles

Twist

Twist

Looking Up!

Looking Up!

Floating ideas….(this was not photoshopped)

Floating ideas….(this was not photoshopped)

A good year?

A good year?

Old, Middle Age, New

Old, Middle Age, New

Big, Bold & Blue

Big, Bold & Blue

Something’s missing….

Something’s missing….

Luminous Crossing Towers

Luminous Crossing Towers

Strange but real…

Strange but real…

Old vs New

Old vs New

Crown

Crown

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Skylight

Skylight

The Edge

The Edge

Old vs New

Old vs New

Hidden history

Hidden history

John Ewen’s “Weaving Fence and Horn” frames of Calgary’s downtown skyline.

John Ewen’s “Weaving Fence and Horn” frames of Calgary’s downtown skyline.

Fun with Sadko

Fun with Sadko

Looking Up 2

Looking Up 2

I Heart Downtown (FYI: This photo was not photoshopped.)

I Heart Downtown (FYI: This photo was not photoshopped.)

Last Word

So next time you are downtown, be it Calgary or any other city make sure you look up. You will be surprised at what you discover. Personally, I love the juxtaposition of the old and new, the patterns and reflections and the surrealist light you find in downtowns.

If you like this blog, you will like these links:

Calgary Tower Playing Peek-a-boo!

Downtown: From Concrete Jungle to Glass Gallery

Calgary Buildings Designed By Calgarians

Calgary: Capturing The Art in ARchiTecture!