Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/137453
CASA Community Arts Centre by Godfrey Budd he CASA Community Arts Centre in Lethbridge is a new facility in the Southern Alberta city that's designed to accommodate a range of artistic disciplines – pottery, painting, weaving, woodworking and dance, among T them. It replaces a smaller building, which was originally built as a school about 100 years ago. "The old arts centre is only 13,000 square feet. A review looked at what was required and we opted for a new building that includes the University of Lethbridge conservatory of music, which provides the public with a lot of teaching and music instruction," says Conrad Westerson, manager of facility services with the City of Lethbridge. The new purpose-built centre will extend its offer beyond the range of arts provided by its predecessor, and present a more varied palette of arts and crafts options to residents of Lethbridge and the surrounding area. The new facility, re-named the CASA, includes an exhibition gallery, more art studios, a kiln room, and textile and – Dan Westwood, principal dance studios, says Patrick Spanos, Ferrari Westwood Babits Architects, project manager with the City of Letharchitect of record for the project bridge. In fact the name derives from the Spanish saying, "Mi casa es su casa." The design and location of the new The location of the two-storey CASA should raise the profile of arts in the community. "The project is adjacent to Galt Gardens, a downtown park that consists of four CASA, along with its program range, city blocks. It's a prominent location and part of an arts corridor that includes the should achieve a strong presence for the Southern Alberta Art Gallery. This is the second phase of the corridor, which will arts in Lethbridge. "The design should also include a performing arts centre," says Dan Westwood, a principal at Ferrari increase exposure to the arts to a much Westwood Babits Architects, architect of record for the project. higher level," Westwood says. Besides studios for traditional arts and crafts like painting, pottery and weavThe arts programs, which will be ing, other arts such as metalworking, stone carving, print making and music prac- delivered at the CASA, shaped the tice are also accommodated. "The public is exposed to a lot of programs and art design priorities for the new buildforms they might not be familiar with. This should improve participation in the ing, says Kevin Nyhoff, principal at arts," says Westwood. Nyhoff Architecture. The main floor " houses an art gallery, community and reception rooms, and a music rehearsal room – large spaces with easy public access. Studios – whether for music practice or arts and crafts – are located on the second floor. These studios are purpose-built and oriented to local conditions. No surprise then that still life drawing and painting studios face north to capture the northern light. The main floor has large corridors, designed to double as reception areas, with lots of exterior glass facing out onto a 10,000-square-foot concrete plaza on the east, or leeward-side of the building. If located on the other side of the centre the plaza would likely need an extra wall to shield it from the strong prevailing winds blowing from the West. The region west of the city was the site of the country's first wind farm in 1993. CASA Community Arts Centre p44-47CASA Lethbridge.indd 45 all images courtesy City of Lethbridge The design should increase exposure to the arts to a much higher level." june 2013 /45 13-05-30 2:09 PM