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The site of one of Canada's most highly anticipated new towers is now almost fully excavated as the 59-storey Telus Sky gears up for its ascent. The office, residential and retail complex will reach a height of 221 metres when complete, good enough to claim third tallest in Calgary upon completion in 2017.
Developed by Vancouver-based Westbank, Telus Sky will be Danish architect Bjarke Ingel's first Canadian building. The architect, known around the world for his bold designs, is also designing the 49-storey Vancouver House. Offices will be located on floors 4-29, in addition to 'Sky Offices' on the top two floors. Floors 30-58 will contain 326 luxury serviced residences and retail will be concentrated mainly at ground level.
Captured by Construction Mania, heavy equipment continued to dig towards the depths of the site in August.
The lobby will feature an impressive nine-storey atrium with a planter wall, cafe and wine bar. A 15,000-square-foot fitness centre, 5,000 square feet of cultural space and a restaurant on the second floor are included in the building's amenity package. Italian instrument manufacturers Fazioli Pianoforti are creating a custom piano to be placed within the lobby, to be played during business hours by Calgary's Royal Conservatory of Music students.
A triple pane curtainwall glass system is planned to reduce noise and energy costs. Waste heat from other Telus buildings will be captured and reused, reducing total energy use by 35% compared to neighbouring office structures. These green features will help Telus Sky become the first Calgary building to achieve LEED Platinum status.
The building's floor plates fluctuate as they reach higher, taking on a pixelated form as small balconies are created for both residential and office suites. The tower will be illuminated with an LED light feature, making a noticeable impact on the night skyline.
Some of the world's most notable architects have constructed projects in Calgary in recent years. Santiago Calatrava's Peace Bridge crosses the Bow River with a striking red and white span reminiscent of the flags of both Canada and Calgary. Norman Foster's The Bow, located just across the street from Telus Sky, has also received attention for its semicircular shape and its use of cross bracing. With this new project by Bjarke Ingels, Calgary is quickly climbing the rank of cities deserving notice on the world's architectural stage.
Additional information and renderings can be found in our dataBase page for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Visit our Forum thread for the project, also linked below.
