Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/124234
first tenant, Cenovus, has completely moved in and occupies floors three to 29, and Encana has started its move with completion expected in May 2013. Encana will occupy floors 30 to 55. "The success of this very large and complex project was only possible with the great working relationship we developed with Foster + Partners, the owner and developer group, Matthews and the whole consultant and construction team," says Munn. One of the biggest challenges the project faced was coming up with a structural solution that was suitable Photos: chris bolin for the unique form of the tower, met the architectural design intent for both the external appearance and the internal workings of the floorplates, while remaining structurally efficient. "In our humble opinion The BOW tower raises the bar for the design of tall buildings in Canada," says Jonathan Hendricks, a senior principal at Yolles, a CH2M Hill company. "It serves as a marker for the level of success that can be accomplished when an enlightened client collaborates with a talented design and construction team." The BOW also boasts a unique sky garden system. High-speed, high-capacity express elevators take users to midrise and highrise lushly landscaped sky lobbies, known as sky gardens, where users can access common services, such as photocopying and coffee stations. At each sky lobby, passengers travel to local groups of elevators, which service all the floors within each garden-level building zone. This advanced design allows multiple elevator groups the ability to occupy the same space in the building's elevator core, which maximizes floor space and reduces elevator wait times to a level comparable with smaller conventional office buildings. n LOCATION Between 5th and 7th Avenues and Centre Street and 1st Street S.E. Calgary, Alberta OWNER H&R REIT DEVELOPER Matthews Southwest Developments design ARCHITECT Foster + Partners Project ARCHITECT Zeidler Partnership Architects GENERAL CONTRACTOR Ledcor Construction Limited STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Halcrow Yolles MECHANICAL/electrical CONSULTANT Cosentini Associates CIVIL consultant Kellam Berg Engineering Ltd. TRANSPORTion consultant D.A. Watt Consulting Building envelope CONSULTANT BVDA Facade Engineering Ltd. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Carson McCulloch INTERIOR DESIGN CONSULTANT Gensler TOTAL AREA 1.9 million square feet TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST $1.5 billion Left: A 12-metre sculpture, created by Barcelona-based designer Jaume Plensa, entitled "Wonderland" is now complete in front of The BOW building in downtown Calgary. 62/ april 2013 p58-63Bow_West Harbour.indd 62 The BOW 13-04-05 2:12 PM