“The latest building from Allied Works Architecture, the Portland, Oregon–based firm helmed by visionary architect Brad Cloepfil, may be many things—among them a 300-seat performance hall, a museum, and the home of Canada’s National Music Centre—but it certainly isn’t shy,” writes Geoffrey Montes on Friday (11/4) at the Architectural Digest website. “The 160,000-square-foot Studio Bell, which has been in development since 2009, features a striking sky bridge and shimmering terra-cotta façade, boldly setting it apart from the cityscape of downtown Calgary. Composed of nine interlocking towers, the structure is a spirited addition to AWA’s rich portfolio of cultural institutions.… ‘In its many diverse spaces, Studio Bell echoes the variety of musical performance,’ says Cloepfil of the new building, which also holds a radio station, the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, recording studios, artist-in-residence spaces, and classrooms.… A portion of the center opened over the summer, but the final exhibition spaces were only completed in late October. Visitors are now welcome to peruse the vast collection of over 2,000 musical instruments, artifacts, and artist memorabilia spanning the past five centuries.”
Posted November 8, 2016
