Re-Imagine Winnipeg

The Re-imagining Winnipeg competition, a collaboration between StorefrontMB and the Winnipeg Free Press, has certainly created food for thought about what this city is and what it could be.

Calnitsky Associates Architects chose to put its energy into repurposing the vacant, unused spaces between buildings. The result is two dramatic visions for alleys on Bannatyne Avenue east of Main Street.

At 123 Bannatyne, an awning is suspended over the alley, creating a new and dynamic space for retail and food services. Cantilevered balconies jut into the air, and skywalks connect buildings for greater versatility. At 185 Bannatyne, the vision is similarly dramatic, with another articulated awning spanning a wide alley. More cantilevered patios, decks and skywalks create brand-new mixed-use space, including housing, with the ground floor teeming with food services and retail.