The Calgary Japanese Community Association (CJCA) is building a new hub for the Nikkei community that incorporates traditional Japanese techniques and sustainable design principles. The federal government recently committed $4.4 million to help construct the facility, which will replace the aging CJCA buildings.

Once complete, the community centre’s irregular form and asymmetry will invoke wabi-sabi, appreciating imperfection, and ma, the balancing of solid and void. The centre will host cultural, social, and educational programs, and will include event halls and other auxiliary spaces that can be rented out. It will also feature a traditional Japanese garden designed to be barrier-free.

The roof design will take advantage of Calgary’s sun path, and funnel natural light into the courtyard. Stormwater collected from the roof will be used for grey water needs and garden irrigation, while local wood and mass timber will further enhance the project’s sustainability.

“The Calgary Japanese Canadian community is truly encouraged by each step reached in working towards the realization of our Legacy Building Project,” said Roger Teshima, co-chair of the CJCA project. “We are extremely grateful for the generous support of the Government of Canada, which has been an essential project keystone. The positive impact of this project will be felt by our community for generations to come.”

The CJCA has already contributed $220,271 to the project, while the Japanese Canadian Legacies Society has pledged $150,000.