Era Condominiums

Client Minto Communities
Location Calgary | Alberta | Canada

Located between the northwest Calgarian neighbourhoods of Crescent Heights and Bridgeland, a new condominium from Minto Communities at 1st Avenue NE and 4th Street NE represents a contemporary approach to urban planning and design at the human scale. O2 Planning + Design was retained by Minto in 2015 to oversee the landscape design and planning process for the site; the resulting streetscape fosters a unique urban experience at the pedestrian level, integrating the development into the walkable fabric of the community. 

Recognizing that the condominium has four critical edges, the goal for the design was to create a sense of place and vibrancy suitable to the building program along each edge. 

An engaging, pedestrian-scale commercial face along 4th Street, and an integrated residential streetscape facing Marsh Road are enhanced through carefully considered lighting, paving, and vegetation. In contrast, a quieter residential streetscape along 1st Avenue and a private residential courtyard on the west edge of the property are shielded from the negative externalities of the street, without sacrificing pedestrian experience. The result is a design that is contextually sensitive, providing a transition between the adjacent residences and the townhomes.