FORT CALGARY

The exhibitions at Fort Calgary underwent significant renovation to re-tell the story of the land at the forks of the Bow and Elbow River—the heart of Calgary. Our team was involved for several years in the planning and design of both long term and temporary exhibitions, including one focused on Treaty 7. Long term exhibition planning and design for the 10,000 sf new interpretive centre focused on the complex relationship of the Northwest Mounted Police—now the RCMP, to the many peoples who had called that land their home for thousands of years.

Client: Fort Calgary National Historic Site
Location: Calgary, AB
Architect: Dialog
AV Design: Resolve
Scope: Long term and temporary exhibition planning and design, interpretive planning, concept design, design development, architectural and interiors integration, Indigenous consultation and collaboration

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During the planning of this project, we were fortunate to have been able to work with members of the Siksika, Kainai, Peigan, Stoney Nakoda, and Métis Nations. The process was enormously informative and educational for the design team. In the planning the form and shape of the exhibition, we heard firsthand about the Indigenous world view and perspectives on the land and the story of the arrival of the Mounties with their promise of “peace, order and good government.”

As exhibition designers, we led a multi-disciplinary team of designers working on exterior signage, interior space planning, exhibition cases, interactive features, graphics, lighting, projection, video and sound treatments in order to create a meaningful, evocative and memorable experience for all ages.

Because of the long term nature of the project, temporary exhibitions were created to inform visitors as to the challenging and important work taking place in re-envisioning the story. These exhibits focused on Reconciliation and the role that all Canadians are asked to play in educating themselves about our nation’s past and present relationship to Indigenous people.

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