Zeidler Architecture, a leading Canadian architecture and interior design practice, has designed Broadway on 17th — a three-tower mixed-use development located at the eastern gateway to Calgary's Mission district that transforms a long-underutilized site into a dense, walkable urban destination. The layout is organized around a generous public square and a network of mid-block pedestrian connections that extend the public life of 17th Avenue into the project and create a new gathering space for everyday use and larger community events.
The three-tower mixed-use development's layered podium acts as a vertical extension of the public realm. The project integrates retail, grocery, daycare, and shared residential amenities stacked to create continuous activity throughout the day. Terraces and shared spaces, on the other hand, overlook the plaza to support visual connection between residents and the surrounding neighborhood.
Image Credit: Zeidler Architecture Inc.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Vertical Public Realms
- Layered podiums that combine retail, services, amenities, and terraces are redefining high-density buildings as active civic spaces with stronger all-day community engagement potential.
- Mid-block Connectivity
- Pedestrian networks woven through private developments create more porous urban blocks and support new models for walkable retail, placemaking, and neighborhood circulation.
- Amenity-stacked Density
- Mixed-use towers that integrate grocery, childcare, shared amenities, and housing reflect rising demand for compact urban ecosystems that reduce reliance on car-based routines.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Urban Development
- Dense mixed-use projects on underutilized sites highlight opportunities for transforming overlooked parcels into high-value, walkable neighborhood anchors.
- Architecture and Design
- Human-centered tower layouts with plazas, terraces, and visual connections signal a shift toward buildings that perform as both residences and extensions of the public realm.
- Commercial Real Estate
- Retail and service spaces embedded within residential podiums introduce more resilient leasing models driven by built-in foot traffic and daily-use convenience.
