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University of Calgary

MacKimmie Complex

Location: Alberta, Canada
Design Partner: Dialogue Design
Dealer Partner: Heritage Business Interiors

The University of Calgary’s renewal of the MacKimmie Complex pushed the boundaries of a modernization project to become a complete rethinking of how a campus can support learning, innovation, community, and long-term change. This 381,000-square-foot transformation united deep-energy retrofit strategies with new construction to deliver one of Canada’s first zero-carbon-certified higher-education buildings.

At the heart of the project is an adaptable architectural framework that aligns with the University’s goals for flexibility, collaboration, and student experience. Glass-rich façades and transparent interior partitions draw daylight deep into the building, creating visual connection between learning, gathering, and administrative zones. Haworth’s modular architectural products — including demountable walls, freestanding structures, and flexible enclosure systems — enable rooms and collaboration zones to evolve as programs shift.

The Hunter Student Commons anchors the complex with a four-story atrium and a series of multipurpose spaces that support everything from events to informal study. Freestanding pods, modular rooms, and hybrid learning zones can expand or contract without demolition, maintaining acoustic performance and preserving the building’s carbon goals.

Because every architectural element is designed to be reconfigured and reused, the MacKimmie Complex functions as a long-term platform for evolving teaching practices, student life, and institutional priorities — proving that sustainable architecture can also be agile, human-centered, and future-ready.

Modern office space with privacy screens and seating area.
Person walking past a modern white office pod in a bright room with large windows.
Modern office space with yellow partitioned workstations and red chairs.
Modern office space with desks, chairs, and computer monitors in a room with large windows.
Modern office space with red chairs, a table, and large windows.
People sitting at a long table in a modern office with a large wall mural.
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Modern office interior with glass walls and furniture

Could modular design thinking work for you?

Traditional construction hides long-term costs in waste, downtime, and disruption. Every change demands new materials and labor.

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