Overview
This renovation project added a new enclosed patio to the street frontage of the existing Café Med Restaurant & Shisha Lounge on Calgary's iconic 17th Avenue SW — one of the city's busiest retail and entertainment corridors. The enclosure extends the restaurant's dining capacity year-round, transforming a seasonal outdoor space into a fully usable extension of the venue while strengthening its street presence on the avenue.
Design Challenge
Working within the constraints of an existing inner-city commercial building, the design had to address the technical challenges of adding occupancy to an established space: a full Alberta Building Code analysis under the ABC 2023, fire egress planning for both the existing restaurant and the new enclosure, washroom count verification for the increased occupant load, and a servicing capacity review of the existing building infrastructure — all on a constrained inner-city site with minimal construction disruption.
Design Response
PiXEL Architecture Studio served as prime consultant, providing architectural design and due diligence, building permit documentation and approvals coordination with the City of Calgary, coordination of the structural, mechanical, and electrical disciplines, and construction administration through to occupancy. The construction documents covered the complete architectural scope — construction assemblies, exterior elevations, interior finishes layouts and schedules, and full code compliance documentation — enabling an efficient and successful permitting outcome.