Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/833835
92 | J UNE 2017 Porsche Calgary and showcase the curvature of the 22 cars on display. This presented a challenge to Wolsey and his team as it introduced a gigantic break in the roof diaphragm making the transfer of the lateral loads more complex. In the evening, perimeter lights point towards the vehicles to simulate the affect of natural light hitting the vehicle body. "There is no artificial light on the exterior of the building for the sole purpose of providing focus only on the vehicles visible through the continuous perimeter glazing at the level of the vehicles," explains Gabriel. This idea of transparency and light runs throughout the entire building, with open sightlines throughout so customers can sit in the fitting lounge area and watch the team working in the service department, or look at images of their future purchase on the big screen TV, installed by Acorn Engineering, the electrical consultant. Up on the second floor, which is accessed via elevators and stairs, are eight staff offices and a boardroom, again with beautiful views over the surrounding landscape. Other stand out features of the building include a service shop, which Balbi likens to a laboratory due to its sharp clean lines and plentiful glazing, and a twin vehicle lift that rises out of the basement. Of course, as with most projects, Porsche Calgary had its own challenges. "When you're dealing with German design and materials coming from Germany, the timelines can be tough. We had to have all our ducks in a row. Plus, we had a very wet summer, so that made things challenging. Thanks to all our trades who worked long hours to accomplish the building, we finished on time and on budget," says Chris Kelly, superintendent with Barjac Construction Management Inc. Today, Porsche Calgary truly exemplifies the principle that the brand stands for: to always get the most out of everything through intelligent performance. "We have been fortunate enough to work on a number of projects with Barjac Construction Management, Rick Balbi Architect, Acorn Consulting Engineering and the rest of the consulting team, and the thing that stands out most for me is how well the contractor and the consultant team were able to collaborate when issues arose on site to come up with constructible, cost-effective solutions in a timely manner. I can't overemphasize how important that is to any project and can't thank the people enough at Barjac as well as the other consultants for their hard work and professionalism," enthuses Wolsey. A LOCATION Meadows Mile, Heritage Drive and Blackfoot Trail, Calgary, Alberta OWNER/DEVELOPER Focus Equities – A Mariash Company / Porsche Calgary ARCHITECTS CORE Architects / Rick Balbi Architect Ltd. GENERAL CONTRACTOR Barjac Construction Management Inc. STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Wolsey Structural Engineering, Ltd. ELECTRICAL/ MECHANICAL CONSULTANT Acorn Engineering TOTAL SIZE 36,000 square feet TOTAL COST Undisclosed PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY BARJAC CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT INC. Igloo Erectors Ltd. FM35243.indd 1 2017-05-18 11:33 AM