Redefining office tower design

The Bow is fitted with Teknion?s Altos demountable walls.

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The Bow, a 58-storey tower currently under construction in western Canada, is set to redefine modern office tower design.

This is the first time that a triangular diagrid system has been applied to a curved building in a North American skyscraper. The project is scheduled for completion in late 2011, and will cover a typical floor area of 3,250m².

The building’s arched shape provides clear views of the Bow River Valley, the Bow River and the Rocky Mountains. The Bow is also home to one of the world’s largest installations of full-height, demountable wall products. In fact, if all of the Teknion Altos demountable walls were assembled in a straight line, they would extend about 32km.

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“We knew that the contemporary design of Altos would last the life of the building. However, it wasn’t enough just to have the best product. What was equally important was our ability to execute a project of this scale and complexity,” said Cheryl Wheatley, national sales manager, wall products, Teknion.

“We embarked on the most comprehensive demountable wall evaluation ever undertaken and worked hard, collaborating with the tenant and renowned industry leaders – Foster + Partners, Gensler, Matthews Southwest Developments, and the Ledcor Group of companies – to customise our product and create a comprehensive manufacturing and logistics plan,” Wheatley continued.

Once The Bow is open for business, the flexibility and reconfigurability of the Altos wall will quickly become apparent. Not only can Altos be easily moved, but the wall fascias themselves can be easily switched out to meet changing functional or aesthetic requirements. For example, the walls’ glass fascias can be switched to wood with no disruption to the space. The inherent flexibility of Altos is a testament to why demountable walls have become the fastest growing segment of the contract furniture industry.

“The scope of The Bow project is unprecedented,” says Frank Delfino, president of worldwide markets, Teknion. “This is not just about winning an initial massive contract. It’s about the beginning of a long-term relationship. For the next 25 years, as integral business partners, we will work with the tenants of The Bow to meet their evolving needs.”