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OCTOBER 2015 | 65 Deloitte Tower PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHAN POULIN/COURTESY CADILLAC FAIRVIEW Deloitte Tower by ROBIN BRUNET M ontreal has always been a van- guard of bold, eclectic design as well as heritage restoration. That, coupled with a long-standing dearth of new office tower construction in the city, inspired the developers of Deloitte Tower to create a unique addition to the skyline: a building that looks toward the future but with roots planted firmly in the past. The $200-million, 28-storey (includ- ing three levels of parking) multi-use complex – the first multi-tenant office tower built in Montreal's core in over 20 years – is a striking example of 21st cen- tury commercial design. But the build- ing and its expansive courtyard also harken back to when geometric sim- plicity and breadth informed the city's downtown spaces. The delicate balancing act of old and new design esthetics was crucial, con- sidering Deloitte is linked to Bell Centre (home of the Montreal Canadiens) on the west, and to heritage-designated Windsor Station directly east. Sustainabilit y was also of prime consideration. Owner Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited and Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF), in association with B+H (the architects of record) and Montreal-based Lemay et Associés, employed a variety of systems intended to achieve energy savings of up to 44 per cent. Chief amongst these systems is daylight harvesting, which will reduce power consumption costs throughout the 495,000 square feet of office space; premium air filtration and enhanced climate control is aimed at improving comfort and health. Terry Fraser-Reid, VP, development, for Cadillac Fairview, says, "In pay- ing special attention to lighting and air, we admittedly sacrificed a certain amount of space. For example, we chose an underfloor air delivery system that includes an 18-inch pressurized ple- num on each floor. But although it took up space, user comfort is crucial to the success of any office. Plus, the system is versatile in that floor tiles can be easily replaced by air grilles." The full width and over 80 per cent of the height of the perimeter wall on all office floors at Deloitte Tower is dual pane clear insulated glass with a low-E coating. Fraser-Reid notes that this has resulted in each floorplate achieving a remarkable 80 per cent penetration of daylight – as well as providing spectacu- lar vistas of the city. But these attributes amount to a subliminal experience for many end users. By contrast, KPF, whose services were retained by Cadillac Fairview in 2010, paid close attention to the design and orientation of other buildings in Montreal's downtown core to give Deloitte Tower its unique appearance. Josh Chaiken, KPF design principal, says a decision was made early on to split the square tower's massing in the north- south direction, in order "to create more elegantly proportioned volumes that respond to Montreal's urban fabric." The penthouse incorporates a sloped architectural shroud for a distinct skyline presence, and the shroud also contains an integrated building main- tenance unit. "The chiselled top helped bring the tower massing together visu- ally, and for the base we achieved a sense of pedestrian scale by faceting the volume as well as adding canopies," says Chaiken. One challenge enabled Cadillac Fairview and the architect team to achieve their goal of complementing Windsor Station's heritage status. "The

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