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Chang Liu
Establish the
Connection

UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, PLANNING, AND LANDSCAPE

MLA M1

EVDL 668 | LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE STUDIO II

INSTRUCTORS: MARY-ELLEN TYLER + JAMIE JOHNSON

The site is large and empty, there are many nodes that have opportunities to be developed. But the biggest challenge is the disconnection between these nodes. The design objective is to establish connections of three important nodes in the site which are Telus Spark, Calgary Zoo, and Tom Campbell’s Hill. To establish these connections, firstly I would provide accesses between every two nodes. Secondly, I would add new activities to help reinforce the connections.


To connect Telus Spark and Calgary Zoo, I put several activities in the middle so that they can be a bridge to connect two nodes. These activities are play spaces, a food court, and a plaza. The plaza can become a skating rink in the wintertime which is the major activity. For crosswalks, I would use the same paving that I have used for the plaza.


To connect Calgary Zoo and Tom Campbell’s Hill, I would create an elevated construction which across St Georges Dr. The destination of this construction would be an observation deck. There is a ring structure on the observation deck which allows people to see the city skyline through it. There are some benches, a shelter, two stop points on the construction. Once people walked on it, they can always get a good view of Rocky Mountain and the city skyline.


To connect Tom Campbell’s Hill and Telus Spark, I would design some landscape elements along an existing path to reinforce it. These elements would be retaining walls, seatings, paving, and a pavilion. Because of the deep slope, I would use stairs for the path. And I would make sure people can stop and have a rest at different heights. The destination of the path would be an amphitheater that is built on the hill.

Land | Terre Design Research Network is a collective aimed at increasing awareness and research in landscape architecture across Canada. Academic researchers from seven institutions are joining forces to reduce the country’s geographic span by tackling research questions that impact us regionally, and nationally.

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