Civil Engineering Wing Redevelopment, University of Calgary

Once a closed-off concrete block, the Civil Wing is being transformed into a welcoming gateway where students and researchers come together to learn, collaborate, and innovate.

GEC’s renewal of the University of Calgary's Civil Wing transforms a almost 50-year-old building into an academic hub ready for the future. The redevelopment focuses on improving how people arrive, move, study, and spend time on campus. By rethinking the building’s role along Collegiate Boulevard, the project creates a more approachable edge to the Schulich School of Engineering and an enriching experience for students, faculty, and visitors.

The design reorients the Civil Wing toward the street, replacing an inward-facing façade with a visible, welcoming entrance. A two-storey addition and terraced landscape make the building easier to find and navigate, while offering new places to sit, gather, and enjoy the outdoors. These changes turn a once-isolated building into an active part of daily campus life.
 

Sustainability drives the renewal. By preserving much of the original 1979 concrete structure, the project reduces embodied carbon while maintaining a sense of continuity for the campus community. The upgraded Civil Wing achieves CaGBC Zero Carbon Design and LEED Gold certification, with energy-efficient systems that create stable, comfortable interior conditions. The new Taktl SC+ concrete façade also contributes to cleaner air around the site.

Inside and out, the building has a clearer identity. A yellow steel stair and glazed façade serve as intuitive visual markers, helping people orient themselves across the engineering complex. Accessible, terraced pathways exceed barrier-free requirements and allow everyone to move through the site with ease. South-facing terraces introduce new outdoor amenities that support informal study, conversation, and quiet breaks throughout the seasons.

The renewed Civil Wing connects people to place, offering a more inclusive, resilient, and welcoming environment for the University of Calgary’s engineering community.