Holyrood Supportive Housing
A Foundation for Rebuilding
The Holyrood Supportive Housing project was created to help address Edmonton’s urgent need for permanent, stable housing for people transitioning out of homelessness.
Commissioned by the City of Edmonton, this $19.9-million facility provides 63 fully self-contained residential units within a four-storey building that balances affordability, accessibility, and sustainability. Designed with empathy and purpose, the project responds to the city’s call for culturally informed spaces that support both individual wellness and community connection—all within an accelerated 16-month construction schedule.
To meet these complex needs, Holyrood takes a holistic, thoughtful approach that places dignity and belonging at its heart. Ground-floor communal and cultural spaces provide access to on-site support and healing programs, while consultation with Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers informed the project’s spatial flow and symbolism. Natural tones, soft forms, and a custom perforated screen depicting an aspen forest express resilience, renewal, and connection to place. The building’s massing, landscape integration, and pedestrian-oriented frontage enhance safety and harmony within the Holyrood neighbourhood.
More than a place to live, Holyrood Supportive Housing offers residents a foundation for rebuilding their lives. Every unit features a fully barrier-free washroom, and the building exceeds national energy standards by 25%. Early procurement and sequential tendering kept construction on schedule and within 1% of the original budget despite market fluctuations. Today, Holyrood stands as a model of human-centred design—one that restores dignity, strengthens community bonds, and advances Edmonton’s vision for inclusive, sustainable urban growth.
“Emergency shelters are a temporary intervention. In order to end houselessness, we need to invest in supportive housing. Today’s investment is on that journey.”