Eau Claire Plaza is a 4-acre public plaza abutting the scenic Bow River in the heart of downtown Calgary. Landscape architecture firm DIALOG Design brought on BRV in 2018 to assist in redesigning the plaza for their client, the City of Calgary.

The Eau Claire area is being refreshed to allow for more flexible year-round uses and improved accessibility. The under-utilized plaza was a sore spot amongst a series of ambitious riverfront redevelopment projects. Its redesign will embrace everyday community gatherings in addition to spaces for hosting larger events and festivals.

BRV provided design review through multiple iterations, prioritizing how the space would be experienced by visitors and used for year-round programming. The programming vision for the space celebrated Calgarians’ zest for winter activity and supported the plaza’s role as a transition zone between the scenic natural setting to the north and the bustling urban core to its south. Finally, BRV assisted with public engagement workshops to help shepherd the plaza redesign through the development process.

Concept illustration courtesy of DIALOG Design.