Two months since our last update, and progress at M2 Block in East Village has moved ahead by leaps and bounds. Of note, the dramatic recent addition of much of the exterior paneling has added a great deal of texture and a sense of completeness to the project. 

M2 Block, cladding making progress, image by Forum contributor Surrealplaces

Designed by nArchitects for XYC Design + Development, M2 Block features a two-tone spandrel facade, which has been starkly colour-blocked from front (white) to back (black). The overall effect is to have created a structure with two identities - the front, with its airy white facade, facing out onto the Bow River, and the rear, with its somber, dark facade, relating to the East Village's immediate urban context. 

M2 Block, cladding rear view, image by Forum contributor Surrealplaces

Moving in for a closer look at the rear, it is evident that the grid-patterned paneling scheme has also provided the structure with a fairly orderly look, broken up only by the odd asymmetrical window or wayward architectural angle. As for the front, though the setbacks allow for some added visual interest, the general aesthetic of the structure may very well turn out to be much more muted than the original renderings led some to believe. 

M2 Block, cladding close-up view, image by Forum contributor Surrealplaces

Nonetheless, M2 Block will be a fine addition to the East Village, its mix of retail, office space, and one very exceptional rooftop penthouse suite, to serve the area well. 

SkyriseCalgary will be sure to return to this project as progress continues. For more information, check out the associated Database file and Forum thread, and as always, feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below.