Eleventh International Conference on The Constructed Environment

Abstract

Elevated pedestrian systems (also known as skybridges, skyways, skywalks, pedways, etc.) emerged as a modernist approach to urban design in the mid-twentieth century and have altered the formal and spatial logic of many cities across the world. Calgary’s Plus 15, being among the most extensive elevated pedestrian systems in North America, is a key example of how early experiments in multilevel design have continued to impact the present and future of North American cities. Using a literature review and semi-structured interviews, this work aims to trace the story of Calgary’s Plus 15 from its radical conception to its current state as everyday infrastructure.