Contemporary Calgary recognized by International Architecture Awards

October 5, 2026

Contemporary Calgary has been recognized by the International Architecture Awards, receiving an Honorable Mention in the Museums and Cultural Buildings category.

The annual awards program from The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies is now in its 21st year.

In 2026, the awards received a record number of submissions for new buildings, landscape architecture, and urban planning projects. The international jury of design professionals, critics, and educators selected winning projects from a shortlist of more than 500 submissions.

The Contemporary Calgary project is reimagining the historic Centennial Planetarium, a Brutalist landmark designed by McMillan Long & Associates in 1967, as a city-wide destination for modern and contemporary art.

Designed by KPMB with GGA-Architecture, the adaptive reuse project will preserve the building’s unique architectural character while introducing a pair of additions housing exhibition, event, and educational spaces. The renovation and expansion will also improve the building’s accessibility, performance, and relationship to its surroundings.

The 2026 winners and Honorable Mentions were recognized at an awards ceremony and gala in Athens, Greece on September 17.

Learn more about our renovation and expansion of the Brutalist landmark.