Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre
This project earned us the highest award for engineering of any kind in Canada. The Schreyer Award is usually the purview of large multi-nationals. Building things like the 12.9 km Confederation Bridge, from the mainland of Canada to Prince Edward Island. Vancouver’s new subway system for the 2010 Olympics and Toronto’s Skydome Stadium, the first of its kind with a retractable roof. In 2007 however, the Schreyer was won by John O’Keefe working on his own (with some help from his colleague Kiyoshi Kuroiwa at the end). The centrepiece of the building is the 700 seat concert hall. The museum that huddles it houses the history of Southern Alberta. Although the room is known for its wonderful acoustics, the Schreyer Award is about engineering innovation. In this case in the areas of small scale (physical) modelling and noise control. The room, of course. is loved by all.
