For all the highrise construction frenzy that has gripped Vancouver and Calgary in recent years, the city boasting the tallest building in Western Canada just might end up being Edmonton. BCM Developments' proposal for a 278-metre, 71-storey tower would make The Edmontonian the tallest Canadian building outside of Toronto, rising above any skyscrapers in Montreal, Calgary, Ottawa, and Vancouver. Towering above the city, The Edmontonian would become an ostentatiously dominant symbol of the city, rising far above the skyline as a declarative centrepiece. 

A rendering of the project, image courtesy of BCM Developments

Designed by Hartwig Architecture, the tower would house condominium units, as well as a luxury hotel and commercial office space. Designed to be lit up at night by a series of LED lights, The Edmontonian may be a prominent and highly visible part of the skyline both day and night.

The base of the tower at street level, image courtesy of BCM Developments

A sculptural, vaguely crystalline shape is visible at street level in the renderings, evidencing a bold, if somewhat preliminary, design aesthetic. Streaked with lines of colour, the base of the tower meets the street in a striking and eye-catching manner, making a marked departure from the city's otherwise conservative highrises. 

With luxurious amenities—as well as a five-star hotel—and a panoramic highrise communal balcony shown in the the renderings (below), The Edmontonian strives to bring an unprecedented grandeur and assertiveness to the city's architectural landscape.

The large communal balcony, image courtesy of BCM Developments

However, the immediate future of the development is currently unclear. As with many of the strikingly tall skyscraper proposals that have been coming through the pipeline for Calgary and Edmonton over recent years, progress is hindered by the recent slump in oil prices and the accompanying recession. 

Nonetheless, there is still cause for optimism regarding Edmonton's urban future, as more positive long-term economic forecasts suggest a rebound for construction may be forthcoming. In addition, the attempted diversification of Calgary and Edmonton's urban economies means that the cities may become at least somewhat insulated from the inherent instability of Alberta's largely oil-based economy.  

We will keep you updated as new information regarding the project comes to light. In the meantime, additional information and renderings can be found in our dataBase page for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum thread, or leave a comment using the space provided at the bottom of this page.