MODA builds rooftop garden along multi-family residential building in Calgary

Local architecture studio Modern Office of Design + Architecture wrapped a multi-family housing development in wood cladding and topped it with sloped roof gardens in Calgary, Alberta.

Known as GROW, the project includes 20 residential units and a 0.6-acre (0.24-hectare) urban farm in a "seamless environment that blurs inside and outside, as well as private and public space."

“In a world where ‘housing’ is slowly succumbing to a tool of capital, GROW hits the pause button, asking more about where and how we live in community in urban environments,” said the team at Modern Office of Design + Architecture (MODA).

The four-story building rises in a zigzag pattern from the ground in alternating strips of vertical wooden planks, finished in natural and blackened finishes, both punctuated by black-framed windows.

Above the ground floor – modulated by steps along the street – the roofline rises as the levels stack with a thin metal balustrade guiding the ascent.

On the other side of the rectangular building, private terraces stretch the length of the facade, while recessed balconies are wrapped in rich-toned wood.

The ramps form an urban farm with rows of large planters.

The deck, made of light-toned wood planks, allows residents to enjoy semi-private outdoor time while still being in downtown Calgary.

Lush garden beds add textured blocks of greenery to the space.

Inside, the units range from 450-square-foot (42-square-meter) studios to 600-square-foot (56-square-meter) condos and from 1.5-story lofts to two-story townhouses and have white walls and neutral floors, using outdoor greenery to add color to the spaces.

“This arrangement potentially places a retired couple next to a young family with children, or a single student next to a young professional, strengthening resilience and social connections through proximity,” the team said.

Rather than limiting residents' moments of interaction to places like the mailbox or the elevator, MODA created a place where residents could participate in a collective activity: urban agriculture.

Residents of all generations and demographics work together to care for the garden and sell the harvested produce.

“This granular approach to placemaking is essential for building resilient communities as we face growing social division and the serious health impacts of social isolation,” the team said.

The design favors "social engineering" and community development over the cost-cutting principles prevalent in speculative housing development.

“If GROW’s approach to social engineering became more widespread in our inner-city communities, and we focused on building social capital in tandem with real estate capital, we could create more equitable and inclusive inner-city urban spaces; schools, community centers, and grocery stores that serve multiple purposes by design,” the team said.

Nearby, other major projects have recently opened, including Western Canada's largest convention centre, designed by Populous, Stantec and S2 Architecture, with a vast copper-coloured canopy, and a recreation centre with an indoor park designed by Dialog.

Photography is by Ema Peter Photography.

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Project credits:
Architecture: Modern Architecture and Design Office, Dustin Couzens, Ben Klumper, Nicholas Tam, Cara Tretiak
Interior design: Modern architecture and design office, Cara Tretiak
Landscape architecture: Modern architecture and design office, Nicholas Tam
Urban agriculture consultant: YYC producers Rod Olson
Energy modeling: Consulting engineers EMBE, Moortaza Bhaiji, Paul Caicedo
Envelope/sustainability engineering: Williams Engineering, Hillary Davidson
Civil engineering: Richview Engineering, Robin Li
Structural engineering: Wolsey Structural Engineering, Danny Wolsey
Mechanical/Electrical Engineering: TLJ Engineering Consultants, Kevin Vig
Manufacturer: RNDSQR, Al Devani
Customer: Andrei Metelitsa