The District at Beltline: Blends work, lifestyle, and social spaces

The District at Beltline boldly reimagines the former IBM Corporate Park in the heart of Calgary’s Beltline, transforming it into a dynamic urban hub that celebrates community, creativity, and connection.

Kasian was engaged by Spear Street Capital to redefine the conventional corporate park into an experientially focused destination designed for today’s evolving workplace culture. The vision was to attract high-end tenants, support local entrepreneurs, and activate the site beyond traditional business hours through new food experiences, a network of laneways, and a lively central courtyard woven between three existing buildings.

Set within one of Calgary’s most walkable neighbourhoods and home to 25,000 residents and part of a flourishing tech corridor, the site’s proximity to Central Memorial Park, major transit, and retail amenities positioned it as an ideal urban enclave. The design prioritizes human experience, with an activated ground plane that encourages year-round use. The interdependent mix of indoor and outdoor spaces, courtyards, and arcades creates a network of gathering places, each with its own character and rhythm.

Through an approach rooted in Lifescape™ philosophy, The District blends work, lifestyle, and social spaces into one cohesive environment. By combining workplaces with cultural, culinary, and third-space uses, it fosters interaction and human connection. Extending the urban grid system through new laneways and arcades, the campus invites movement and exploration throughout the day and evening, transforming the once-insular site into a thriving destination for both locals and visitors.

Collaborations with street artists introduced colourful 60-foot murals that visually mark The District as a nexus of Calgary’s brewing, arts, and innovation scene.

This adaptive reuse not only transformed the property’s leasing potential but also set a new benchmark for how urban spaces in Calgary can evolve to be used in the future.

“This will be a central gathering spot, a central sense of community, over and above being an amenity for the building. It just brings it more as a destination and a hub.” – Adam Ballew, VP Development, Spear Street Capital