Award

"With the multiple layers of spandrel glass and colours to create a texture, the supergrid of mullions breaks the building volumes. It's based on Mies van der Rohe principles of minimalism and modernist design." – Bruce McKenzie, VP operations, NORR Architects Planners Inc. had to be transferred to the foundations to allow the removal of the columns. The exceptionally large floor plate of 36,570 square feet prompted the design of a subtle, off-centre break in the massing, perpendicular to the main entrance. "Functionally, what makes the building special, is the large floor plate. In downtown Calgary it's rare to find one this size," comments Bruce McKenzie, centre 10 p44-49Centre10.indd 47 VP operations at NORR Architects Planners Inc. The northeast corner includes other elements that break the symmetry of the building volume: a rooftop terrace, and, at street retail level, a metallic base-frame element [that] creates scale to the street and rises to the second storey at the important northeast corner. McKenzie adds that this part of Centre 10 sees the most traffic. Overall colours of the exterior glass and spandrel are blue-green and soft green, with anodized aluminum frames. McKenzie says the design has been inspired by a neo-modern international style esthetic. "With the multiple layers of spandrel glass and colours to create a texture, the super-grid of mullions breaks the building volumes. It's based on Mies van der Rohe principles of minimalism and modernist design," he says. Courtesy norr arChiteCts and Planners The building's LEED criteria resulted in the inclusion of a range of HVAC components and systems that are expected to reduce energy costs by around 50 per cent, compared to traditional office buildings, says Mike Bauer, a principle at Hemisphere Engineering. "It's not that difficult to achieve those savings if the architect gives us a good envelope." High-efficiency boilers and linear ceiling radiant panels were just two of october 2013 /47 13-09-13 3:43 PM

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