Legacy Project - Architecture | Calgary Japanese Community Association

The architectural significance is rooted in several guiding Japanese values and aesthetic principles that informed the design:

Shibusa: This principle emphasizes simplicity, modesty, naturalness, and drawing inspiration from nature, reflected in the use of organic forms.
Wabi-Sabi: The acceptance of imperfection, finding beauty in rustic deterioration, and embracing timelessness are key.
Wa: Represents harmony and is expressed in the building’s overall concept.
Kizuna (Bond): The design encourages a closely knit community, acting as a hub where different generations can congregate.
Kakehashi (Bridging): The center is intended to bridge Japanese Canadian, Japanese, and Canadian cultures, as well as spanning different age groups and generations.
Ma: This principle, relating to the harmony of mass and voids, layering, and framing, is seen in the building’s composition. Japanese spaces often hide and reveal views, particularly toward nature.

Form, Materiality, and Layout

The building’s physical features reflect both cultural influence and environmental performance:

Massing and Form: The design is inspired by the enso (the unfinished circle), resulting in a curvilinear structure that organizes the facility around a central Japanese Garden/courtyard. This placement ensures that views toward the garden are central, particularly from internal circulation spaces.
Roofline: The evolving geometry of the roof serves as an architectural feature that is also highly performative, designed to follow Calgary’s sun path to maximize natural light and facilitate passive solar heating and cooling. The peaked roof is reminiscent of the gasshō housing found in Shirakawa, Japan.
Materials: The design utilizes a quiet, minimal material palette. Structurally, the plan incorporates Mass Timber and Heavy Timber structural framing to preserve the warmth of the wood and lower the carbon footprint. Interior materials listed include Concrete, White Gypsum, Birch Plywood Veneer, Cross-Laminated-Timber, and Tatami (in the Tatami Room).
Shou-Sugi-Ban (Burnt Cedar): The exterior proposes using burnt cedar tiles treated with the traditional Japanese technique called shou-sugi-ban, which is an economic way to treat a natural material to make it weather-resistant, rot-resistant, insect-resistant, and semi-fire resistant.

Functionality and Modern Standards

The new facility is significant for its commitment to modern functional requirements:

Accessibility: The project will follow Rick Hansen Foundation (RHF) Accessibility Certification™ guidelines to ensure a universally inclusive and barrier-free environment. The design addresses the inaccessibility issues of the previous building by ensuring the courtyard and most public programs are accessed at grade, without steps or ramps.
Sustainability: The building is intended to be a net zero carbon ready building, minimizing its environmental impact. Sustainability strategies include passive solar design, natural ventilation, xeriscaping, and rainwater harvesting for use as grey water. The design team is aiming for a LEED Gold certification.
Community Integration: The design inverts the layout of the old facility by bringing the Main Hall to the front facing 29th Street, allowing the community to view and engage with activities inside (“a fishbowl”). Key public areas are designed to open directly onto the central courtyard, allowing events to spill outdoors.

Recognition: The architectural design has received professional acclaim even prior to construction, including the Canadian Architect Award of Excellence in 2020 and the Calgary Mayor’s Urban Design award. The project is viewed as setting an example for the future role of ethnic community centers, promoting diversity and inclusion.