Crossroads Garden Shed

In 2014, 5468796 was engaged by the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation to design a garden shed as part of a larger park development in the up-and-coming neighbourhood of East Village, a 49 acre parcel located on the banks of the Bow River between Fort Calgary and the downtown business centre. The project’s intended function was to house the gardening tools and supplies necessary for community members to tend the nearly 100 raised planter beds provided in the park. By redefining the project brief and aspiring to provide value beyond the original mandate, 5468796 expanded the ‘shed’ into a pavilion with civic presence within the budget of $100,000, including both soft and hard costs. The reallocation of resources included the use of recycled shipping containers as the underlying structure of the pavilion, allowing a custom fabricated trellis and cladding system to be included in the project scope. Utilizing the containers as structure also facilitated material delivery to the site, and its pre-engineered structure helped reduce foundation costs. The re-imagined shed now lends itself to further programming, and in addition to various storage spaces, includes areas for work, shelter and relaxation for the community. Location: Calgary, Alberta Project Area: 320 sqft Project Completion: 2016 Budget: $100,000 Drawing / Diagram Credit: 5468796 Architecture Photography Credit: Calgary Municipal Land Corporation + 5468796 Architecture