Project Details

Multi-stakeholder Research and Facilitation to develop a New Vision

A Shared Vision for New Campus Space, Time and Growth at the Heart of Calgary

Bow Valley College

“What you have accomplished with this redevelopment is truly impressive, but I know what your students and your staff will accomplish within these walls will be remarkable.“

Honurable Ray Danyluk
Minister of Infrastructure
The Government of Alberta

The Challenge

Bow Valley College faced:

  • an aging campus, built in 1972, in the heart of Calgary

  • the challenge of integrating a large program onto the main campus from space which had previously been leased

  • limited student growth due to the design and cramped space of the existing campus

  • Faculty were concerned about classrooms that had been recently renovated but were challenging to use due to issues like sound leaking under movable dividing walls

Dr. Sharon Carry, Bow Valley’s dynamic leader with a vision for a new campus, hired me and my company (Standing Stones) to help grow a shared vision for the redevelopment of the downtown campus that would ensure:

  • continued operations as construction happened

  • effective and welcoming learning space

  • the ability to grow the College by attracting new students and better space utilization

The Project Team

The Solution

I designed a Co-Design Project that included:

  • Best practice research on higher education space and time.

  • Community engagement to use the talents and innovation of the College community.

  • Building common ground between internal groups to create and support the vision.

The Project Map

Based on my model of learning and adaptation, Inside Outside Onward, the project included:

  • 8 Faculty, Management and Student workshops to identify what was and was not working on current campus - as well as what they envisioned for a new revised or future campus

  • International Literature Review and Web Case Research to identify current best practice in post-secondary education

  • Best Practice Visits/Interviews with 4 Alberta Post-secondary Institutions (public and private)

  • Creation of a Best Practice Concept Model

  • Creation of a Concept Model of the Local Situation and Needs

  • Final Report including a Vision and Concept Model for the Revised Campus - with specific recommendations

  • Presentations to the Board of Governors and various community members

  • Writing the first draft of the Business Case to help raise funds

The Impact

  • The College Board supported the new vision of space and time

  • The model and business case helped Bow Valley attract new funding for the $135m total including a commitment from the Government of Alberta to fund the first phase and to obtain a new downtown Calgary site for the second campus

  • The new academic calendar and scheduling policies created “huge efficiencies in building usage.”

  • After the two phases (two campuses) of development, on-campus students grew from 4,000 to 7,000 enrollments

  • The design language and concept model developed in this project also contributed to the development of the new South Campus

From a Bow Valley College Press Release

“Virtually every square inch of the 1970-era building at 332-6 Avenue SE has undergone a radical, state-of-the-art transformation, with some 5,600 square metres recaptured on the building’s existing footprint.

And while working, learning, and studying in a building under construction is challenging, it has been worth the effort: the cost of North Campus is one-half the cost of constructing an entirely new building of the same dimensions.”

“Funding for the North Campus redevelopment project was a collaborative effort between the provincial government (Alberta Advanced Education and Technology and Alberta Infrastructure), the Federal Government through its Knowledge Infrastructure Program, and Bow Valley College.”

“Having braved extremes of temperature, shortages of space, elevator drama, visits by pigeons, and construction noise, faculty, staff and students were thanked for their patience and praised by President Sharon Carry for “…grabbing hold of the vision and being part of the incredible growth of post-secondary education in our region.”

Result

  • A shared vision and concept model for Campus Space, Time and Growth with an envisioned two-phase development (revision of the existing North campus and plans to build a new South Campus) including concept design and principles for:

    • classroom and labs

    • learning resource unit

    • academic office space

    • general facilities design

    • space and time management

  • Transition to a new academic schedule over time to support growth and accreditation laddering.

  • Scheduling standards to increased campus utilization

  • Common ground between management, faculty and staff about campus re-development

  • A vision and business case used to help attract financing and contribute to architectural design work

“Calgary - Bow Valley College is the first Alberta public college to introduce a year-round or trimester based calendar year. Bow Valley College continues to redefine the post-secondary landscape in Alberta. Today, we begin offering courses on a trimester calendar, which means that students can begin their programs in September, January or May,” says BVC President and CEO Sharon Carry.”

“Huge efficiencies relating to building use will also be realized through the new year-round calendar,” says Carry.

Sharon Carry
Bow Valley College and CEO

“Bow Valley College has aligned its programs with intakes in a trimester format to facilitate transfer/articulation within the college and with other institutions. “Learners will have the unique ability to move from one program to another without any breaks, ensuring they achieve their goals seamlessly and faster than many other post secondary institutions.”

Anna Kae Todd
Vice-President, Academic and
Chief Learning Officer

“Bow Valley College has engaged Standing Stones Consulting Ltd. on a number of occasions, the most recent being to conduct a Space Utilization Study for the College.

The approach taken by Alec Stephen and Alan Stephen, principals of Standing Stones, was professional, thorough, and comprehensive.

Through the data collection phase they developed a high level of confidence with various stakeholder groups within the College, utilizing focus groups, electronic surveys, a literature review, and one on one meetings with individuals and small groups.

Because of the process used and the thoroughness of the report submitted, the College has much confidence in acting upon the recommendations.

We would not hesitate to engage Standing Stones for projects in the future.”

Dr. Sharon Carry
President & CEO
Bow Valley College