Award

The Energy Environment and Experiential Learning building; West Eau Claire Park Plan; Taylor Family Digital Library; TELUS Spark World of Science playground. J UNE 2015 | 9 PHOTOGRAPHY & RENDERINGS COURTESY O2 PLANNING + DESIGN INC. O2 Planning + Design Inc. Another notable O2 project in Alberta is the Calgary Metropolitan Plan (CMP) that was developed to encourage balanced growth and fulfill the region's vision and aspirations. These include a healthy environment, prosperous economy, enriched communities and sustainable infrastructure. O2 was part of the core planning team for this ambitious project. The project also won a CSLA National Honour Award. "For the CMP project we identified a green network of ecological infrastructure across the Calgary region," explains Olson. "The network provided the strategy of where development should be avoided and what valued landscape elements should be kept in the region over the very long term. We identified wetlands, well vegetated river corridors, large patches of natural vegetation and other important habitats that should be maintained, if we are to have a sustainable region over the next many years." The green network gave an overarching framework for both conservation and development. O2 provided an objective analysis to help inform planning decisions that are consis- tent with the regional vision. "At 12,000 square kilometres, it was broad scale landscape planning. We planned for where you should and perhaps more importantly, where you shouldn't build. It's necessary to take conservation and development hand in hand," explains Olson. Without consideration of both, neither will be achieved sustainably. Other Alberta projects include the redevelopment of the Shaw Barlow Campus, the new plaza at Shaw Court, the Taylor Family Quadrangle at the University of Calgary, The TELUS Spark World of Science, the Chateau Lake Louise gardens and public promenade as well as the soon to be constructed Haskayne Regional Park, Blakiston Park, West Eau Claire Park along the Bow River, the Lethbridge Growth Management Strategy and the Airdrie Civic Centre Master Plan, as well as many other public and corporate developments. All of O2's designs creatively incorporate ecology and regional landscape inspiration to create sustainable places. It's not just Alberta that has benefitted from this progressive thinking. The com- pany has been involved in a number of projects across the country, including the Green Network – an Open Space Plan for the Halifax Region, the Regional Plan for Saskatoon, the Land Development Study for the Yukon, Complete Streets Design in Saanich, B.C. as well as a number of global projects. O2 recently completed planning for a new major development in Managua, Nicaragua consisting of a high-tech busi- ness park, hospital and college. The team also worked on the first prize winning international design competition for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing as well as planning studies in Mongolia and Honduras. When asked if working on such remote global projects poses a problem, Olson says, "While ecology, vegetation and built form details vary in different regions, issues such as cost of public infrastructure, as well as land and water protection are ubiquitous. Whether at home or abroad, the framework for approaching the assignment is applicable worldwide; we always have local partners who know the specifics of the area and we bring an approach to planning and design that organizes the work, incorporates local requirements and is appropriate globally." O2's approach also includes a commitment to advanced technology in order to help customers understand and assess alternatives. Cutting-edge and vibrant don't quite encapsulate the feeling you get when speaking with Olson; it goes far beyond that.

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