Grow Residence: Calgary’s Innovative Urban Farming Community

Located in the heart of Bankview, Calgary, Grow Residence by Modern Office of Design + Architecture redefines inner-city multi-residential living with a focus on community, sustainability, and urban agriculture. Completed in 2024, this innovative 20-unit housing project merges contemporary architecture with green design principles, fostering social connections through thoughtfully designed shared spaces and rooftop urban farming.

A Vision for Inclusive, Intergenerational Living

Grow Residence offers a diverse mix of residential units, including compact 450 sq ft studios, mid-sized 600 sq ft condos, 1.5-storey lofts, and spacious 850 to 1,000 sq ft two-storey townhomes. This variety encourages intergenerational interactions, imagine a retired couple next to a young family or a single student living beside a young professional. By designing for proximity and diversity, Grow Residence cultivates resilience and strengthens community ties.

Rooftop Urban Farming: More than Just Green Space

At the heart of Grow Residence is a 0.6-acre rooftop urban farm, a pioneering amenity in Calgary’s inner city. This barrier-free rooftop combines private gardens, vegetative roofs, and apiaries, creating a vibrant space for residents to connect with nature and each other. Beyond its aesthetic and environmental benefits, the farm offers opportunities for engagement: residents can participate in spring planting, daily care, harvesting, and even selling weekly harvest baskets to the broader Calgary community.

This innovative amenity reimagines multi-residential social life, transforming what was once limited to hallways or mailboxes into meaningful, shared experiences. The design fosters spontaneous interactions while promoting wellness, recreation, and sustainable living practices.

Building Community Through Design

Grow Residence’s emphasis on activated social spaces addresses the growing challenges of social isolation and urban division. Activities like communal farming instill trust, shared purpose, and a sense of belonging, making differences in age, background, or lifestyle less pronounced. The project demonstrates that social infrastructure: spaces for collaboration, recreation, and engagement, is just as important as physical housing.

Sustainability Meets Urban Life

With input from EMBE Consulting Engineers (energy), Williams Engineering (sustainability), and TLJ Engineering Consultants (mechanical/electrical), Grow Residence exemplifies environmentally responsible design. Its green roofs, private gardens, and community farming initiatives not only reduce environmental impact but also educate residents on sustainable living practices, creating a blueprint for future inner-city developments.

A New Standard for Calgary Housing

Grow Residence challenges conventional real estate-driven inner-city development. By prioritizing community growth, social capital, and sustainability alongside property investment, it presents a model for more equitable, inclusive, and resilient urban living. Projects like Grow can transform Calgary neighborhoods, inspiring the integration of schools, community centers, and multi-purpose facilities into holistic urban ecosystems.

Grow Residence is a testament to the power of architecture to cultivate community, sustainability, and wellness in dense urban contexts. Its innovative approach to social engineering and green design positions it as a landmark example of how inner-city housing can thrive beyond traditional norms.

All photographs are works of  Ema Peter, Michelle Johnson