A 160,000 square foot marvel of music and architecture is taking shape above and around 4th Street SE in Calgary. Studio Bell will be the home of the National Music Centre, a non-profit Canadian cultural organization currently located southwest of the new facility. When construction wraps up, the building will host the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame Collection.

National Music Centre in Calgary, image courtesy of National Music Centre

Located in the East Village, the $191 million project will also include a number of other cultural spaces, including a 300-seat performance hall, collections space, school classrooms, conservation and restoration workshops, three recording studio spaces, acoustic and electronic sound labs, and retail space. Hailed as an international hub for music and technology, the development also incorporates the King Edward Hotel, Calgary's 'Home of the Blues' which was condemned in 2004 and dismantled nine years later. With its bricks now polished and restored, the structure will serve as a live music venue.

Studio Bell, image via Allied Works Architecture

The building features an impressive design by Brad Cloepfil of Allied Works Architecture, who won an international design competition in 2009 for his work with local firm Kasian Architecture on this project. Clad in a custom glazed terracotta material that first appeared this past fall, the reflective gold and charcoal appearance of the building acts as an eye-catching gateway to the city. The building bridges over 4th Street SE, maximizing usable space while making a dramatic architectural statement.

Studio Bell, image by Forum contributor Surrealplaces

The National Music Centre's partnership with Bell, Canada's largest communications company, resulted in a $10 million contribution towards construction of the complex. The Government of Canada, Province of Alberta, and City of Calgary each committed $25 million to the project.

Inside Studio Bell, images by Forum contributor Surrealplaces

Forum contributor Surrealplaces has covered this building inside and out, posting a rare look of the interiors in the project's thread. Using screenshots taken from the project's webcam, Surrealplaces also created a timelapse video recapping construction over 2015:

The project will be complete later this year, opening its doors to new cultural facilities in a burgeoning area of Calgary. For more images and information, visit the Database file linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum thread or leave a comment at the bottom of this page.