Banff Springs Hotel

"I particularly remember visiting the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel (Banff, Alberta). It is located in in the mountains on the outer edge of the town. It is shadowed by mountains and surrounded by large trees and greenery. Wildlife (for example, Elk and deer) are sometimes observed in the grounds surrounding the hotel. From the outside, the building has an appearance of a historic palace. Entering inside the hotel, the building has a unique aged smell, dimmed lighting, and a design that gives it a historic peaceful feel and a sense of stepping back in time. The hotel has a sense of mystique. The hotel includes small boutique shops and restaurants. I remember the feeling of wanting to explore the outside and inside of the hotel. It seemed apparent as to what was considered within and outside the building to be public and private spaces. The hotel building is interesting and inviting and different from what you would normally experience in the built environment. Many of the people, I observed visiting the hotel were not likely patrons staying at the hotel but rather local and non-local tourists. I visit Banff several times a year and will often revisit the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel to casually walk around the grounds and through the building or sit with a coffee and enjoy the scenery." (Booklet Positive Lived Experiences of Quality in the Built Environment 2023, p.109). Google map link: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Canmore+Environmental+Svc/@51.164332,-115.56183,17z/data=!4m17!1m10!3m9!1s0x5370ca3b2e2fb8bf:0x99e9a92cf4f6ce!2sFairmont+Banff+Springs!5m2!4m1!1i2!8m2!3d51.164332!4d-115.56183!16zL20vMDUydHZy!3m5!1s0x5370ca395662563f:0xa16ddf15455c95e6!8m2!3d51.1664153!4d-115.5675643!16s%2Fg%2F11b5wk4943

"As I reflect on spaces and places of positivity, a few examples come to mind – and they can be understood through scale and sphere: residential, architectural, and environmental. On the residential side, an example of a connected & meaningful space is the Living Room of My Home.  The room is a soaring, double-height space with glass lining the south face – with views to the city and skyline beyond.  It is a minimal space with white walls and a beautiful natural wood-sloped ceiling (with several sizable skylights).  Due to the serious volume of the space, I have several large pieces of art displayed, including one of my wife’s life-sized figurative oil paintings. Having coffee in this space during a dramatically colorful Calgary sunrise presents a wonderful opening to the day. On the architectural side, the Banff Springs Hotel presents a historic exemplar of quality that is unparalleled. It’s sitting in the national park, soaring high like the mountains that provide company, is simply spectacular.  Its deployment of crafted sandstone connects it to the land, and its rich delineation and articulation of form creates interest and wonder – a spectrum of nooks, crannies, caverns, and corridors that enchant the visitors.  It provides a larger-than-life fantasy that reminds us of our capacity to create and construct buildings and landscapes that stir our imaginations and move our souls.  On the environmental side, one of the most potent and qualitative spaces is Nose Hill Park.  On an almost daily basis, I spend time in the park, in some instances deeply immersed in and connected to nature, accompanied by an abundance of deer, coyotes, and porcupines, while at other times dwelling in the interstitial spaces caught between the serenity of the wild and the urban bustle of a major Canadian city.  Nose Hill is a magical ethos residing quietly and confidently in the vast sea of urban fabric. It is a place of respite, recharge, and reflection." (Booklet Positive Lived Experiences of Quality in the Built Environment 2023, p.106). Google map link: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Fairmont+Banff+Springs/@51.1643353,-115.5644049,17z/data=!4m10!3m9!1s0x5370ca3b2e2fb8bf:0x99e9a92cf4f6ce!5m3!1s2024-11-16!4m1!1i2!8m2!3d51.164332!4d-115.56183!16zL20vMDUydHZy?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MDkxOC4xIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D https://www.google.com/maps/place/Parc+Nose+Hill/@51.111437,-114.1138735,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x537165f81dcb7df7:0x7576f90d970ea8af!8m2!3d51.1114337!4d-114.1112986!16zL20vMDVqYmh2?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MDkxOC4xIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D