Cody Mathiesen sees any number of ways Edmontonians could use YEG Globe, one of the finalists for The Edmonton Project.
“I see a mom taking her kids to go hang out on the green grass in the middle of winter,” Mathiesen said. “I see a yoga class going on.
“I see a local restaurant kind of budding and growing in one of the levels.”
The design, submitted by Mathiesen and Kayla Bradford Sinasac, can be scaled to any size. It would be solar-powered, and could house dozens of businesses alongside green space and self-tinting glass.
“Basically, everyone can use it, is kind of what my hope is anyways,” Mathiesen said.
Mathiesen said at this point, his design is for a 44,000 square foot structure, with an estimated base budget of $20.1 million – a full design for it was submitted to The Edmonton Project.
“We submitted a whole design, I had a portfolio and we had a whole bunch of specs and my friends kind of laughed at me and said ‘This was just an idea and you kind of really blew it out of proportion’,” Mathiesen said. “Now I’m glad I was prepared to have the stuff all ready to go.”
The YEG Globe was one of 300 ideas submitted to the city-wide brainstorming session – now, it is on the shortlist, and Mathiesen will join the people behind the other finalists pitching their ideas on March 6. One of those ideas will be chosen and brought to life.
“I was really excited to see all of the other contestants, there was some really good ideas and I would love to see the rest of them go forward.”
With files from Dez Melenka
