CAAD Futures 2027
Venue & Travel
School of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape (SAPL), University of Calgary
801 7th Ave SW, Calgary, AB
SAPL Downtown Campus
CAAD Futures 2027 will be hosted at SAPL's newly established downtown campus. Recently relocated from the main university campus, SAPL's move to downtown Calgary reflects a strategic commitment to embedding architectural education and research directly within the urban, social, and professional contexts in which design knowledge is produced.
The facilities are housed in a purpose-adapted building known as 801, situated in the core of downtown Calgary. The building offers contemporary infrastructure — lecture halls, seminar rooms, fabrication labs, and flexible studio spaces — providing a fitting setting for a conference on computation, intelligence, and design practice.
SAPL Downtown
Atrium
Large Rooms
Medium Rooms
Seminar Rooms
Studio & Exhibition
Fabrication Labs
The University of Calgary, located in the heart of Southern Alberta, both acknowledges and pays tribute to the traditional territories of the peoples of Treaty 7, which include the Blackfoot Confederacy (comprised of the Siksika, the Piikani, and the Kainai First Nations), the Tsuut'ina First Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda (including Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Goodstoney First Nations). The city of Calgary is also home to the Métis Nation within Alberta (including Nose Hill Métis District 5 and Elbow Métis District 6).
Getting Here
Calgary International Airport (YYC) is located approximately 20 minutes from the SAPL downtown campus by taxi or ride-share, providing direct and convenient access to the conference area. For those preferring public transit, Calgary Transit operates regular bus services connecting the airport to the downtown core, with transfers available to the CTrain network, offering a reliable and economical alternative for reaching nearby hotels and the SAPL campus.
The CTrain light rail system connects downtown Calgary to all major areas of the city, with stations within a short walk of the SAPL campus. It provides easy access to hotels, restaurants, and cultural venues across the city.
Accommodation
The campus is situated within a dense hotel district.
| Distance | Hotels |
|---|---|
| 3 min walk | Sandman Signature · Ramada Plaza |
| 10 min walk | Hampton Inn (Hilton) · Courtyard (Marriott) |
| 20 min / transit | Westin · Hyatt Regency · Marriott · Delta · Residence Inn · Fairmont Palliser · Hilton Garden |
Calgary
Downtown Calgary offers a compact and culturally rich urban environment within walking distance of the conference venue.
| Calgary Central Library | A major civic and architectural landmark by Snøhetta. |
| Studio Bell | Home to the National Music Centre. |
| Peace Bridge | Designed by Santiago Calatrava. Connected to the Bow River pathway. |
| Stephen Avenue Walk | Primary pedestrian corridor — cafés, restaurants, informal gatherings. |
| Kensington | Independent shops, cafés, and local cultural venues. |
| Calgary Tower | A prominent urban landmark anchoring the downtown skyline. |
Calgary & Bow River
Banff Avenue
Moraine Lake
Banff Gondola
Canadian Rocky Mountains (Banff)
Banff National Park and the Canadian Rocky Mountains are within close proximity to Calgary, situating the conference within a broader regional and environmental context. An optional post-conference day trip is planned for Day 6 (July 4).
| Day Trip — July 4 | Optional same-day excursion. Departure 8:00 AM from Calgary. |
| Lake Louise | One of the most iconic sites in the Canadian Rockies. |
| Banff Gondola | Panoramic views of the Rocky Mountain landscape. |
| Dinner in Banff | Free time and dinner before return to Calgary. |
Calgary Stampede July 9–18, 2027
The Calgary Stampede is a ten-day celebration of western heritage — billed as the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth — at Stampede Park in the Beltline, a short CTrain ride from the SAPL campus. The 2027 run opens the week after the conference, so delegates who stay on in Calgary can move from Banff Day (July 4) into Stampede week.
The grounds bring together invitational rodeo, a full carnival midway, free and ticketed concerts, chuckwagon racing, and nightly fireworks. The opening parade moves through downtown on the first Friday and is free to watch from the street.
Rodeo
Midway
Concerts
| Dates | July 9–18, 2027 — ten days, opening Friday through Showdown Sunday. Official dates. |
| Opening Parade | Friday, July 9, downtown Calgary. Typically mid-morning; free to watch along the route. |
| Daily Rodeo | Afternoon invitational rodeo at Stampede Park (recent years: 1:30 PM). Tickets required. |
| Midway | Carnival rides, food, and exhibition grounds — open through the evening. |
| Evening Shows | Chuckwagon racing, Grandstand Show, outdoor concerts, and nightly fireworks. 2027 lineup to be announced. |
| From SAPL | CTrain to Victoria Park / Stampede — about 15 minutes from the downtown campus. |
Photographs: Provincial Archives of Alberta; D’Arcy Norman; Sergei S. Scurfield — via Wikimedia Commons.