The Bow  .  Calgary, Cananda

 

The Bow is a part of a distinguished list of office towers world-wide that have redefined the modern office tower. The building incorporates several notable design features that make it unique in North America.

 

Shape

The aerodynamic crescent shape significantly reduces exterior wind resistance, 'down draft' and the urban venturi effect. A pleasant, south-facing urban plaza experience is created at the tower's base. Inside, the shape creates a floor plan that maximizes access to views and natural light. It also creates a collaborative and open workspace for EnCana and Cenovus employees.

 

Orientation

The Bow is attuned to the local conditions and designed for Calgary's climate. The atrium face extends the full height of the south west face. It will passively harness the sun's energy in all seasons. In the summer, the atrium will reflect or exhaust excess heat before it reaches office space. During the remaining seasons, the sun's heat energy will be absorbed and recycled throughout the building to augment heating requirements for the north and east faces.

 

Diagrid Structural System

In addition to a striking, graphical presentation on Calgary's skyline, this diagonal grid (diagrid) system provides superior structural efficiency. This diagonal and vertical steel frame significantly reduces the overall steel weight, as well as the number and size of interior columns and thickness of the elevator shaft walls. Visually, the diagrid pattern is repeated every six stories, and a single unit of the pattern is referred to as a node. This is the first time a triangular diagrid system has been applied to a curved building design in a North American skyscraper.

 

Sky garden system

High speed, high capacity express elevators take users to mid and high rise lushly landscaped sky lobbies, known as Sky Gardens, where they 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 two elevator cabs to occupy the same shaft, maximizes floor space and reduces elevator wait times to a level comparable with conventional office buildings.