Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1149947
AUGUST 2019 | 57 225 Carlton – True North Square 225 Carlton – True North Square by ROBIN BRUNET W hen any major phase of a com- plex multi-use project comes together smoothly – even if it has undergone a major change in intended usage – it's cause for celebration; and with the completion of 225 Carlton (Tower 2) of True North Real Estate Development Limited's (TNRED) True North Square in Winnipeg, the owners, architects, and builders are indeed in a celebratory mood. Katie Hall Hursh, senior director, business development for TNRED, says, "The original intent of Tower 2 was to be a hotel, but early on we decided it would be better suited for rental apart- ments and that we should locate the hotel on an adjacent site. Even with this shift, we were still able to retain many of the original architectural elements, which we were enamoured by." True North Square has been described as not just a collection of buildings, but a living entity that will capitalize on the synergies between working, living, and gathering all in one central location. Perkins and Will had designed the 25-storey Tower 2 to respond to the 17-storey Tower 1's triple-glazed cur- tain wall, only that while the first tower steps forward on one plane and back on another (giving it a twisting effect), Tower 2 rises majestically and then cantilevers out at one end. "We also provided sunshading for both buildings with vertical fins on the out- side," says Ryan Bragg, principal in charge with Perkins and Will. Bragg adds that the glazing is bal- anced with insulated areas: "The envelope is comprised of vision glass and glass spandrel panels with insulation on the inside, which makes the tower look more transparent than it actually is." The curve of both towers envelops the plaza to protect it from winter winds and optimize sunlight. "You can stand on the plaza in sub-zero conditions and not feel any wind at all," says Bragg. While Perkins and Will led the design of the project, Architecture49 Inc. supported the documentation, engineering, and project co-ordina- tion. Grant Van Iderstine, principal, Architecture49, notes that while a lot of the heavy lifting of the True North Square project – such as the under- ground parkade and building systems – had been undertaken as the first tower was constructed, "Tower 2 was still challenging in that it was origi- nally designed as a hotel, and when the decision was made to locate the hotel across the street and transform the tower into residences, it meant that PHOTOGRAPHY BY GERRY KOPELOW/COURTESY TRUE NORTH REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT LIMITED 8:46 AM 1:10 PM 2:07 PM