Shovels broke ground this month on Scotia Place, a new NHL stadium by HOK and DIALOG for the Calgary Flames. The city of Calgary and Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC) are development partners on the $800 million project.
Scotia Place is being built on a 10-acre city block in the heart of Calgary’s Culture + Entertainment District. Outside the stadium, fans will soon enjoy a community rink, outdoor and indoor plaza spaces, four restaurants, and the Calgary Flames team store. The block’s northeast corner will remain open for future development opportunities.
The facade design by HOK and DIALOG is meant to evoke fire. (Get it? Calgary Flames?) Renderings show the upper portion of the facade clad in orange and lined with slats. The lower section is meant to mimic “glacial-like forms,” DIALOG shared.
For accessibility and egress purposes, the ice surface will be at grade with the street level; this will allow visitors to move seamlessly from the curb to the concourse. The design team is hoping the stadium will achieve net zero by 2050 thanks to savvy energy and water conservation strategies.
The exterior spaces and design aesthetic pay tribute to Treaty 7 Peoples and Métis Nation of Alberta, whose ancestral land Scotia Place would be built atop. HOK and DIALOG worked with an Indigenous Advisory Group that included representatives of the Treaty 7 Nations, the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3, and the Urban Indigenous community.
To ensure the venue is welcoming for all, its key theme is “come in, there is room.” Geometries in the exterior spaces incorporate representations of the tipi, Métis Trapper’s Tent, and elements of Alberta’s world-renowned natural landscape, architects shared.
“Other design principles, including public realm activation, the integration of Indigenous influences, public art and storytelling, sustainability, and a balance between past, present, and future are central to our vision,” said Doug Cinnamon, partner architect at DIALOG. “The ultimate goal is to ensure seamless accessibility, promote mixed uses, and create vibrant public areas for everyone to enjoy. This joint redesign represents an opportunity to spur investment into the area and enhance its cultural vitality, anchoring Calgary’s position as a thriving, bustling community hub.”
Scotia Place is slated for completion in fall 2027.
