Diamond + Schmitt Architects revitalises the Banff Centre in Alberta
The Banff Centre is an arts, cultural and educational facility located in a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Alberta, Canada's Rocky Mountains. The new dining centre, designed by Diamond and Schmitt Architects, opened today with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony at the scenic site. The dining centre at the Sally Borden Building is the first project in phase one of Banff Centre Revitalization. In 2004 Diamond and Schmitt Architects was commissioned to conceive a master plan to guide the redevelopment of this important Canadian cultural centre.
This renovation includes a two-story vertical expansion of the Sally Borden Building, the central sport and recreational facility for the Banff Centre. The addition houses extensive new food preparation and restaurant facilities for the Centre. On its lower level are a new main kitchen and staff dining area, and support facilities. The upper level of the addition house the main dining spaces. It is divided into the Vistas Dining Room, a 350-seat market-style dining hall and the Three Ravens Restaurant and Wine Bar, an intimate 125-seat a-la-carte restaurant.
Diners enjoy a 280-degree panoramic view of the majestic Rocky Mountains, from Mount Rundle to Mount Norquay and the broad Bow Valley below, as well as a comprehensive view of The Banff Centre campus itself. In considering the location for the dining centre, Diamond and Schmitt Architects carefully analyzed the views to take advantage of the site’s spectacular natural surroundings.
In keeping with the strong relationship to the natural environment, the dining centre addition employs a variety of sustainable initiatives including certified wood, low emitting materials and light pollution reduction. Heat reclamation and building automation systems, including occupancy and daylight sensors also help to improve the energy efficiency of the building.
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