Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Designed virtually during a pandemic by an international team, the BMO Centre exemplifies the power of collaboration and talent. Guided by the principle, “Together we will design a world-class facility that celebrates Calgary, captures the Stampede spirit, connects the city with the Rivers District, and activates the site all year long,” the project overcame challenges to open on time and budget, quickly becoming a beloved community landmark.
BMO Centre won an 2025 International Architecture Award from The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design.
With over one million square feet of total space, including 350,000 square feet of continuous exhibition area, the BMO Centre more than doubles the size of the original building and stands as Western Canada’s largest conference facility. But the project was about more than just expanding space—it aimed to embody Calgary’s community spirit.
From the start, the design team immersed themselves in Calgary’s culture, working closely with clients, contractors, and local craftsmen. They explored rich stories about Calgary, Alberta, and the Calgary Stampede, the world’s largest rodeo. The 10-day Stampede features rodeos, races, parades, indigenous celebrations, and top live entertainment, drawing over one million visitors annually. Positioned in Stampede Park near downtown Calgary, the event inspired the entire building design.
This cultural immersion led to a modern western design palette with a rugged edge. The building’s forms, materials, and details reflect Calgary’s history and traditions—a mix of earthy, agricultural materials paired with polished, glamorous accents, inspired by imagery like a cattle wrangler crashing into dirt with sunlight catching his belt buckle.
The intentionally limited palette channels the Stampede’s brand, featuring light-filled neutral interiors layered with rough-hewn warm materials as visitors move upward through the building. The exterior canopy, clad in shining copper panels, rises dramatically above darker lower levels, echoing the design theme. Notable materials include embossed leather, blackened steel, warm copper, handmade red clay tile, and fumed wood.
In the grand atrium called the Exchange, the bar is surrounded by a custom steel lasso inspired by the barrel racing path, a key Stampede event historically performed by cowgirls. The centerpiece of this space is Alberta’s tallest fireplace—a 70-foot-tall blackened steel structure made by local artisans. The flames are simulated with modern water vapor technology, blending rugged tradition with innovation.
Subtle touches throughout the building reference the Stampede theme. The ballroom’s ceiling woodwork echoes indigenous beadwork patterns, and custom carpets reflect western blanket designs. The iconic “Neon Cowboy” mural is recreated as a marquee installation, alongside a curated local art collection.
Floor-to-ceiling ballroom windows offer views of the Canadian Rockies, and during the Stampede, silhouetted cowboys against the skyline create a scene reminiscent of looking through an Alberta barn doorway.
Visitors to the BMO Centre experience a highly functional convention facility infused with warm, thoughtful hospitality. The building’s design—rooted in detailed research and devotion to local culture—makes it a one-of-a-kind architectural icon, celebrating Calgary’s spirit while serving as an international beacon of modern design.
Architects: Populous, Inc.
Design Team: Michael Lockwood, Adam Paulitsch, Carrie Rezac, Mason Paoli, Robert Clement, Derek Sommers, Colleen Cassidy, Felicia Balestrere, and Chad Hemmerling
Architect of Record: Stantec Architecture Ltd.
Associate Architect: S2 Architecture
Landscape Architects: O2 Planning and Design Inc.
General Contractor: PCL Construction
Client: Calgary Municipal Land Corporation
Development Manager: Calgary Municipal Land Corporation on behalf of Calgary Stampede
Photographers: Tom Harris
