Brookfield Place is a landmark full city block 2.4 million sq ft commercial development in the heart of downtown Calgary. Featuring exceptional public realm and civic spaces, together with the 56-storey East Tower, the tallest building in Western Canada - Brookfield Place is a catalyst for a significant uplift in the civic life of the city, reconnecting its urban grain and stitching into the + 15 network - the world’s largest elevated pedestrian walkway.
A grand civic contribution
Carefully located civic spaces provide more than half an acre of south-facing, public plaza, offering downtown workers an oasis of calm in a city centre lacking in green space. Retail, cafes and restaurants frame three edges of the plaza and contribute to the animated vitality of the area beyond rush hour. A series of wintergardens create an additional 2,137 sqm of varied, welcoming public space, while also introducing a new link from the site into the +15 network.
Stitching the city grain back together
The site was the one of the last remaining undeveloped plot of prime land, and was extremely well served by vehicular and rail connections. Despite the site's prominent position in downtown Calgary, it lacked any connection to the +15 network - the largest elevated pedestrian network in the world.
A key aim was to introduce a new connection to the +15 to elevate the connectivity of the city, while also creating a new vibrant destination for users of the network, and for those who work in or visit the building. Beyond its commercial ambitions, Brookfield Place is designed to make a significant contribution to the quality of civic life in Calgary at a variety of scales, offering enhanced citywide connectivity, and exceptional public realm, culture and amenities.
A slender, elegant marker for the city
The elegant East Tower tower, the tallest building in Western Canada, rises from the expanse of public realm below. This stark transition in scale and texture is inspired by the Canadian Rockies and surrounding plains, the impressive visible backdrop to the city. Calgary enjoys a spectacular quality of light, which rebounds and refracts from the mountains.
The East Tower captures the brilliance and clarity of this light with bespoke ultra-transparent glass creating an effervescent, crystalline façade. The gentle curves of the tower, recall the more organic forms of snow-capped peaks, requiring technically challenging design and production of bespoke ‘J’ shaped glass panels which lock into the facade.
The tower culminates in a curved semi-translucent crown; a bowl-shaped lightwell which filters diffused light onto the ground below by day and creates a dramatic marker for the
city by night. Although the crown is a functional, housing plant facilities, it is integral to the design concept of liquid fluidity, which contrast with the solid building forms which comprise much of Calgary’s skyline. Bespoke panes of glass were encased within the crown’s façade and angled towards the sky, reflecting and refracting light, whilst hiding the mechanical elements from view.
BREEAM Excellent, LEED Gold and WELL certified award-winning office development
Integrated public art
Brookfield’s commitment to high quality contemporary art is reflected in an extensive and dynamic public art programme within and around the building. Alongside a curated seasonal programme of arts and culture, two large scale commissions interwoven within the building and its public spaces explore the relationship between art and architecture, as well as our relationship and connection to both nature and the city.
