Building engineering awards - 2011

Ritz-Carlton project, Toronto, Canada

In the Engineering category the award was presented to the Ritz-Carlton project in Toronto. Steel supported the building’s distinctive architecture while meeting multiple challenges, including providing a column-free space for the 700-square-meter third floor ballroom while transferring the loading to two floors and the podium roof above.

In the projects constructed outside of Ontario category, the winner was The Bow, Calgary’s first steel skyscraper and its tallest building. The tower is the first building in North America to apply a triangular diagrid system to a curved building. The unique steel system employed in its design plays a significant role in the building’s esthetics, sustainable capabilities and iconic stature on the Calgary skyline.

Halcrow Yolles provided structural engineering and design on both projects.

The Bow tower, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

The Bow was one of three finalists in the categories of Architecture and Engineering, and won the award in the Engineering category. Ian Washbrook of Halcrow Yolles’ Calgary office accepted the award on behalf of the firm's The Bow team who provided structural engineering services.

The Bow is the first building in North America to apply a triangular diagrid system to a curved building. The unique steel system employed in its design plays a significant role in the building’s esthetics, sustainable capabilities and iconic stature on the Calgary skyline.

The project is known for the top-down construction technique used on the ground floor, an innovation that allowed for an improvement in project schedule.