Commonwealth Community Recreation Centre & Edmonton Elks Field House
Edmonton, Alberta
In Collaboration with HIP Architects
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Aquatic Centre, Field House, Gymnasium, Fitness Conditioning Space, Fitness Studios, Indoor Track, Multipurpose Rooms, Child Care, Outdoor Practice Fields, VIP Stadium Seating, Players Locker Rooms and Treatment Area
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2016 Prairie Design Award: Award of Excellence
2013 International Olympic Committee (IOC) / International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities (IAKS): Bronze Medal (Sports & Leisure Facilities)
2013 Ontario Association of Architects (OAA): Design Excellence Award
2013 City of Edmonton: Urban Design Award
2013 Edmonton Mayor's Award: Universal Design in Architecture
2013 Athletic Business: Facilities of Merit Design Award
2013 Parks and Recreation Ontario (PRO): Award of Excellence in Design
2013 Canadian Interiors: Best of Canada Design Award
2013 Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario (ARIDO): Award of Merit
MJMA deftly planned the Commonwealth Community Recreation Complex to coordinate its shared-use between three partners: the City of Edmonton, the Edmonton Elks professional football team, and the public at large. Along with a complex of program spaces spread over four levels, the project provides a bold exterior civic presence, including plazas and public promenades that link to circulation through the building. Working with the City, we also designed a fully integrated identity and wayfinding system for the project. This program focused on enhancing the modern and refined urban character of the new facility, working with the architecture to create clear navigation.
An adaptive reuse of a 1978 fitness centre, the new complex is attached to and in part serves the iconic Commonwealth Stadium, Canada’s largest outdoor professional sport venue.
Despite its size of 220,000-sf (20,440-m2), the building capitalizes on rational planning and transparency between spaces to create natural wayfinding throughout. Additional wayfinding elements such as a perforated dot pattern integrated with balustrades and glazing, further support navigation and complement the bold clarity of the spaces.
