The following images were provided by Enzo Vicenzino as an overview for his session at the 2014 AIA AAJ Conference - Progressive and Public: Doing Communities Justice through Design.
2014 AIA AAJ Conference
Response for Lauren Petrakis:
1. Could you tell me a little about yourself, your work, experiences, and interests?
Enzo is the Design Leader of Stantec’s architectural and interior design group in Calgary, Alberta. Enzo brings to the practice a comprehensive range of award-winning project experience in judicial, commercial, institutional and other project types. Enzo has been involved in numerous law enforcement projects in both Canada and the United States as a design architect. His most recent projects include the Lethbridge Regional Police Service Headquarters Expansion and Renovation, the Edmonton Police Service Master and Strategic Plans, the RCMP detachment and fire station in Blackfalds, Alberta, the Calgary Police Service Headquarters Renovation, Calgary Police Service District 1 and Forensics Facilities and the Calgary Police Service Westwinds Master Planning. As a design architect with over 27 years of experience, Enzo provides strong management and design leadership to our office. His keen ability to listen to a client’s passion and intent allows him to provide innovative and appropriate design solutions. Enzo thoroughly enjoys the creative process of problem solving and working together with clients, users and consultants to find meaningful vision for the projects.
Enzo has worked extensively with the Calgary Police Service for the past 15 years in all aspects from facility planning, master planning, and renovations to new construction. This experience provides him with a keen understanding of the organization and its constant evolution to be in tandem with the most current law enforcement standards and trends in North America, and specifically in Alberta.
2. Do you have any current projects focused on public / justice design?
- Calgary Police Service YouthLink Interpretive Centre – project currently under construction
- Calgary Police Service Auditorium Addition - project currently under construction
- Various Calgary Police Service: concept design, master planning, additions and renovations
- Lethbridge Regional Police Service Headquarters Expansion and Renovation – project currently under construction
- Edmonton Police Service Gun Range – programming, planning & conceptual design
- RCMP detachments in Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada
3. What experiences lead you to choose community justice through design for a conference topic?
The experience of working with the Calgary Police Service over the past 15 years has resulted in the development of their Westwinds Campus. The campus is a model for progressive law enforcement design which has developed alongside one of CPS’s primary strategic goal: “Strengthen Community Policing.” The Westwinds Campus aligns with the AAJ’s theme of Architecture for Social Justice, which brought us to presenting this case study at the conference this year.
4. How would you define “progressive and public”? Any project examples that demonstrate these qualities?
Progressive and public aligns with the Westwinds Campus’ innovative law enforcement design. Law Enforcement methods are constantly evolving throughout North America. There is increased reliance on citizen volunteers, substantial efforts to collaborate with the community and other law enforcement agencies and concerns of employee attraction and retention. Our design of the Westwinds Campus embraces these opportunities and provides a modern flexible environment that is supportive of community policing and aligns with CPS’s reputation of a progressive law enforcement organization.
5. What types of positive impacts on communities can be attributed to good design?
Within the justice sector, good design is becoming synonymous with open, transparent and welcoming law enforcement facilities while providing a secure facility. Police facilities express a positive and approachable quality not only through warm materials and bright daylight-filled lobbies, but also through public amenities and crime prevention programs. The YouthLink Interpretive Centre, an annex attached to the headquarters, is a crime prevention and education initiative. The Centre delivers content and programming to encourage youth to confront issues, make positive life choices and become model citizens. The facility is visible and accessible from the main entry of the campus, welcoming visitors into a landscaped forecourt. The main exhibits focus on current and trending issues that youth face, such as, online safety, bullying, drugs, gangs and healthy relationships. The design of the facility has a dual purpose on reaching out to youth, while at the same time presenting the proud history of the police to its members and the public.
6. What resources could you recommend for further researching this topic?
There are many resources on the internet that speak to trends in law enforcement facilities and social justice.
7. What are you most looking forward to at the 2014 AIA AAJ Conference?
Sharing our experiences of working with the the Calgary Police Service as a progressive law enforcement agency resulting in innovative design solutions: sustainable growth of a consolidated campus, operational efficiency through design and the impact of a positive workplace environment for staff
Engaging with other experts in the field to continue the broader discussion of innovation and emerging trends in law enforcement design