SAM Centre

In the heart of the Stampede Campus, the SAM Centre will bring a fresh experience to the Calgary Stampede’s visitors. This project combines story-making with technology to provide highly immersive experiences through the two galleries and exhibits, as well as one multi-sensory digital experience. It will allow its visitors to experience the Stampede and its history year-round. It officially opened its doors on May 29, 2024.

This project’s design, created by Diamond Schmitt Architects and FAAS Architects, was inspired by the wooden barns commonly seen in the Albertan landscape. To accommodate energy efficiency, long wooden eaves were used to keep the building warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The Centre also employed the use of “rain chains” – an alternative to downspouts to guide rainwater from the gutter to the natural grasses below.

Image courtesy of Michael Wach Architectural Photography