Defining the Toronto skyline, the CN Tower is Canada’s most recognizable landmark. And the internationally renowned building will soon be neighbored by a new feat of architecture, which will be defined by its sustainable credentials as well as a unique wind-reducing design.
Known as 160 Front Street, construction of the 46-story skyscraper, one of many proposed for the city, is due to begin in downtown Toronto in 2019. It will feature glazing to reduce glare, employ daylight to reduce the need for electric lighting, house a green roof, and according to the firm responsible for the project, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG), demonstrate “tremendous” water savings. Given these environmental credentials, the building will be in line to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification, a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement and the most widely used green building rating system in the world, and is also slated to receive WELL Building Standard certification, which measures a project's overall impact on human health.
Concerns over the strong winds that are a common feature of Toronto life have also informed the design, which will be oriented parallel to the direction of the site's prevailing gusts to reduce wind loads. "We spent a significant amount of time on analysis," explained Adrian Smith. "The tower is tapered both at the top and the bottom, assisting the structure when resisting wind, minimizing its effect on the pedestrian realm, and creating a spacious respite to the compressed neighboring sidewalks."
AS+GG’s founders are behind many of the world's tallest skyscrapers, including the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which currently holds the record, and its likely successor, the Jeddah Tower, which is under construction in Saudi Arabia, and so they are undoubtedly well-versed on the impact of the weather on design. Earlier this year, they also revealed plans to build what will be Chicago’s second tallest skyscraper.
Toronto’s new address, said to be "tailored for business", will incorporate 1.2 million square feet (111,483 square metres) of leasable office space, with four levels of underground parking to accommodate 340 cars as well as ample cycle storage. The project will also involve the preservation of a six-storey masonry heritage building, which it is planned will be renovated and integrated into the new tower.
Photos: Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture
Related Reading:
California: First US State To Mandate Solar Power
Renzo Piano At TED: "Beauty Will Change The World"