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In the two months since our last update, cladding has continued to rise up the base of Telus Sky in downtown Calgary, where the Bjarke Ingels Group-designed, Westbank- and Allied Properties-built 59-storey tower is set to become a signature piece of the local skyline. As the core structure continues its ascent, the glass and black metal cladding have reached the fifth floor, providing observers with a clearer glimpse of how the finished product will appear upon completion in 2018.
Having today risen nearly a dozen storeys above grade, Telus Sky will take up a prominent position in the heart of downtown. Located along the 7th Avenue SW CTrain line at Centre St Station, the tower itself is within easy walking distance to many of the city's most notable landmarks, including the Calgary Telus Convention Centre, Glenbow Museum, and Calgary Tower.
Viewed above from the corner of 7th Avenue SW and Centre Street, the silver- and black-framed window panes have begun to give the tower its signature look. The modular effect accomplished by the arrangement of multi-paned window banks works well to add a significant amount of visual interest to the tower's exterior, an effect that will be all the more pronounced once the tower rises to its full height and exposes its distinctive architectural twist. For comparison, the rendering below of the completed tower adds some context in terms of the progress made to date.
True to the design scheme found in the renderings, the tower's exterior is composed of a series of window panes framed by silver and black metal cladding. The extra height afforded to the Telus Sky Lounge will provide diners with a commanding view of passing street life, with the rush of people, cars, and LRT trains that today defines much of downtown Calgary creating a vibrant backdrop. Below, a close-up view of the work now underway reveals the final look of the facade that will soon make its way to the top of the tower.
Once complete, Telus Sky will be home to 229 residential units placed above a mix of office space and ground-floor retail. The Calgary Herald's Lost Gargoyles will also be placed in currently undetermined location within the tower. A boon for the city, and one of the last projects of this scope to be seen through to completion since the most recent downturn, Telus Sky will be a transformative project for Calgary, its bold architectural style a welcome addition to the local skyline.
SkyriseCalgary will be sure to return to this project as progress continues. For more information, check out the associated Database file and Forum thread, and as always, feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below.
