carya is a Calgary-based social profit agency that, since 1910, has dedicated its efforts towards creating strong families and communities. Through counselling, education, community development and in-home and school-based support, their programs help thousands every year realize their potential.

In late 2020, we began working with carya on an exciting development that would connect people from all walks of life. Village Commons, located in Calgary's East Village, offers services that enhance the lives of the residents of the community and surrounding areas through creativity and collaboration. With such amenities as an art studio, family counselling centre, and state-of-the-art community kitchen, and services like community meetings, wellness classes and financial planning, carya's Village Commons has something for everyone.

"We serve a lot of different groups, from young children to elders. We need products that can fit those varying needs. We need something simple and straightforward to use, but with advanced options as well. We wanted to have the type of products that allowed us to do virtual and in-person sessions very well." 

A connection that extends beyond the facility.

Our world has quickly transitioned to one that must accommodate most services in a hybrid format. As well, it must have the ability to deliver counselling and coaching sessions remotely. carya takes pride in offering accessible resources to the community and the technology installed needed to support all program formats.

For the best in-person experience, functionality is key, and LOFT DS Commercial Displays were installed within the large and small multipurpose rooms to fulfill the project requirements. Ultra HD commercial displays, like the LOFT DS, are a perfect addition to any environment that delivers essential material. When paired with the intuitive conferencing features offered by the C400 - PTZ HD Conference Camera and the full-room coverage and clear playback provided by the Nureva HDL300 Audio System, the facility has a complete solution capable of supporting any model of session delivery.

Creative expression fosters well-being.

Therapy through art is an effective way to enhance the quality of life, and carya believes that "increased creativity improves the immune system and brain functioning; reduces depression and anxiety; increases problem-solving and communication; and allows us to experience ourselves differently." This notion is why the art studio in Village Commons requires technology with interactive capabilities and why LOFT'S D2 Interactive Display was incorporated into the space. The instinctive gesture control, shape recognition and writing features found on the D2 bring a new level of creative instruction to the art classes offered, and make it possible for community members to experience the program's benefits, even when attending remotely.

"We are going to have a lot of different users in our space, so we wanted it to be a fairly seamless experience for people - where they could come in, turn everything on and get to where they need to be.”

Kitchens are made for bringing families together.

The community kitchen within Village Commons truly is the heart of the facility. It is an area that can easily be credited for promoting good health and providing a sense of belonging and dignity to those who use it.

Designed to be so much more than just a room to prepare meals, the kitchen acts as a gathering place for programs and events. The technology installed is required to deliver easy-to-follow meal preparation to groups of residents, and this was made possible by a large LOFT DS Commercial Display facing the dining area and LOFT PTZ Conference Camera. The fully controllable pan, tilt, and zoom features of the PTZ camera, when positioned appropriately, captures a visual of the complete cooking process in full HD 1080p resolution. The demonstration projects to participants whether they follow along in person or from home thanks to the camera's video conferencing capabilities.

To complement the community kitchen, the facility has a dining area that acts as an ideal location to enjoy the benefits of one of carya’s cooking classes.

This large open area includes an impressive-sized Da-lite retractable screen and Sony laser projector, a combination perfect for presentations. It also consists of an integrated control solution by Crestron, a valuable addition to any communal spaces containing various AV components. These modern features make this space ideal for hosting private events. In that regard, the area is available for rent.

A space that will benefit generations to come. 

The concept of supporting individuals and families through community programs isn't new. Having a state-of-the-art facility to accommodate such vital resources is unique, however. Although by no means essential to the success of any government-funded program, having access to modern technology that allows for increased session diversity and further community reach is undoubtedly a welcomed benefit.

With the help of Calgary Housing Company and CMLC, carya completed primary construction on Village Commons in East Village in April 2021, and the facility has already made a positive mark on the community.

Thank you, carya, for allowing us to assist with this project and capture the results! For information on how you can support this incredible Calgary facility, visit HERE.

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