Bishop’s Manor

A dynamic approach to affordable housing, Forward Housing’s Bishop’s Manor provides housing that not only focuses on affordability but liveability. The challenge was to serve a variety of needs and demographics in one project, from a single senior with accessibility barriers to a multi-generational family. Affordable living options are illustrated through 104 units spread across five storeys. Several unique amenity spaces were designed, increasing the “liveability” aspect such as a dedicated spiritual space, multi-purpose event space, rooftop patio and offices for the Forward Housing organization. Located in Calgary’s vibrant and established inner-city community of Bridgeland, Bishop’s Manor will serve as a point of connection, where affordable housing is situated within close proximity to services, employment opportunities, education, recreation, and transportation. Simultaneously, the residents of the development will bring a unique energy to the community, encompassing cultural and generational diversity.

Bishop’s Manor delicately plays with the theme of juxtaposition throughout its design. Our team was challenged to design a building that was all things to all people: balancing security with permeability, playfulness with practicality, and supportive of intergenerational living from young children to seniors. As such, our team collaborated closely with the client and the construction management company from project onset to ensure appropriate building programming. Our team also provided landscape architecture services to work within the constraints of an irregularly shaped parcel of land. Due to the unique nature of the site, the building is outstretched to meet each of the three frontages. As a building funded completely via grants and donations, every dollar and minute of the schedule counted. To expedite construction, the above-grade structure was prefabricated enabling the completion of framing construction in six weeks.

True collaborative design and construction resulted in minimal change orders during construction and maximized cost savings for the client. Catapulta, the Construction Manager, and NORR were in constant communication, tweaking the design as new products and technology made their way to the market. The end result translates into a building that achieved high energy targets and will provide adaptability to the client for years to come.