Construction began on Heritage Hall on January 18, 1921, five years after the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art (PITA) was formed in Calgary in 1916. Designed by Alberta provincial architect Richard Palin Blakey and built by J. McDiarmid Company of Winnipeg, the three-story modern structure's focal point is the central entrance flanked by two large towers designed with the characteristics of Collegiate Gothic architecture, which was prevalent throughout North America at the time. Despite the prevalence of Collegiate Gothic architecture in post-secondary education, Heritage Hall is the only example in Calgary. Heritage Hall would be completed later in 1922 and would accommodate both the PITA and the Calgary Normal School. During the Second World War, the structure was used as a wireless training school for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. The structure was intentionally situated on Calgary's North Hill to maximize the structures visibility throughout Calgary, and also provide a view of the city from the building. The building was originally known as the "Provincial Institute of Technology Building and Normal School" and was renamed "Heritage Hall" in 1985.