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Site-specific artwork and designed experiences for Stephen Avenue, office lobbies and the commercial core, from a studio based in Calgary.
Downtown Calgary is where the city concentrates its offices, hotels, galleries and the Stephen Avenue pedestrian mall. It is also where blank walls, quiet lobbies and underused plazas are most visible. KINN Studios is an artist-led experiential design studio based in Calgary. We design murals, art installations, activations and interiors for the downtown core, and we can be on site within the hour.
Our work here starts with the building and the street. A lobby in the Bankers Hall and Brookfield Place area has different sightlines, foot traffic and tenant expectations than a restaurant on Stephen Avenue or a plaza along the Plus 15 network. We study those conditions first, then propose artwork that belongs to the place rather than sitting on top of it.
Calgary has 15 Business Improvement Areas, and the Calgary Downtown Association is the one responsible for the core. We are familiar with how BIA projects, property managers and municipal reviews fit together downtown, and we bring that experience to every brief.
Interior murals for office lobbies, elevator cores and tenant amenity floors, and exterior murals on side walls and laneways off Stephen Avenue. Each design is drawn for the wall it will live on.
Suspended, freestanding and wall-mounted installations for atriums and Plus 15 connections. We handle concept, fabrication drawings and installation planning with building operations teams.
Temporary builds for Stephen Avenue, plazas and festival periods, including seasonal installations and brand activations that give people a reason to stop.
Artist-led interior design for restaurants, cafes, boutiques and professional offices downtown, from concept and 3D renderings through material selection and buildout coordination.
Set design and spatial planning for corporate events, launches and galas in downtown venues, designed to photograph well and move guests through the room.
Most downtown projects begin with one of three people: a property manager looking after a lobby or laneway, a business owner on Stephen Avenue, or a BIA or developer planning a placemaking piece. In each case, the first step is the same. We visit the site, measure it, photograph it and ask what the space needs to do.
Permits downtown follow the City of Calgary Land Use Bylaw. Exterior murals visible from public space may need a development permit, and work on the Stephen Avenue mall or on public right of way usually needs additional approvals. Interior work typically does not need a permit. We research what applies and prepare the application so the client does not have to.
Budgets vary with scale. An interior lobby mural sits at one end and a multi-storey exterior wall or a permanent installation at the other. We give a clear range at the first conversation and a fixed proposal after the site visit, so that decisions can be made with the numbers in view.
If you would like a sense of the numbers before we talk, our mural pricing guide and interior design cost guide are a good starting point. To see the full range of what we do, visit Services or read about the studio.
Community and restaurant work from across Calgary.
Yes. KINN Studios is based in Calgary and downtown is a short drive from our studio. We can attend site visits, building operations meetings and BIA reviews in person, and we have worked with Calgary property owners and businesses since 2020.
Interior murals and installations usually need four to eight weeks from approval to completion. Exterior murals depend on weather and permits and are best planned in the winter for painting between May and October. Activations tied to a specific date should start at least eight weeks out.
Yes. We research whether a development permit or right-of-way approval applies, prepare the drawings and submit on behalf of the property owner. Interior murals in Calgary typically do not require a permit.
Tell us about the space and we will come back with a clear next step.
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