A brand new design studio catering to innovation, collaboration and the realities of an evolving economy opened at Calgary’s Central Library on Thursday.
Situated on the south-east corner of the Library’s third floor, the space aims to bring members of the business community together to solve problems, plan projects and ultimately create new economic sectors in Alberta.
One of the main features of the studio is the Nureva Wall; an interactive and multi-touch technology that allows participants to work with large amounts of information. The digital platform covers two full walls in the studio and also features a camera and projection system that allows teams to work with anyone around the world.
Nureva is a Calgary-based company specializing in technology solutions for a client-base that spans the globe.
On this day, a group at the Nureva Wall was sharing information and interacting in real-time with a group from the Netherlands.
“We are trying to create a space which is completely different from any other space they could occupy,” explained Greg Hart of InceptionU.
“It’s different from what they are going to find at work, it’s different from what they are going to find in a typical boardroom setting,” he added.
“It is all about collaboration, because that’s a huge chunk of the future; working with different people in different situations and different places, and being able to pull some amazing stuff together.”
Besides the signature high-tech wall, visitors to the studio can also access a vast array of analog tools and materials to enable them to build prototypes and experiment with different business solutions.
Mark Asberg of Calgary Public Libraries says the studio adds another layer of connection to the Central Library’s capabilities.
“The library is a very technologically rich place and increasingly so,” he said. “One of the ways people connect with each other and information is through technology and we know people’s expectations around that are getting higher and higher every day.”
As part of a broader shift from the traditional economy, Hart explained the studio represents a small part of the evolution towards new businesses and marketplaces in the city.
“We are faced with the reality that our future needs to be very different from our past,” he said.
“That doesn’t mean we abandon the things that we’ve been doing; but there’s a transition occurring right now and places like this are where people can come together and they can work on that transition together.”
The Nureva Design Studio is administered by InceptionU, a not-for-profit organization oriented on addressing skill gaps and preparing businesses for the future.
Teams can now book the studio and also facilitate with experts to address solutions to their business needs.
