Living in Toronto we’ve all grown accustomed to seeing tall buildings wherever we go, but you should know not every Canadian city is like that. Many of them don’t have towering skyscrapers like we do, which is why when one is built (and a stunning one at that) it’s a big deal. If you’ve ever been out west - or specifically to Alberta - you’ll know we’re talking about The Bow.
The Bow building is located in Calgary and is the tallest building in Canada outside of Toronto. Fun Fact: You can see it from almost anywhere in the city! It was originally supposed to be 247 metres high, but was cut down to 236 metres to avoid casting a shadow on the bike paths along the Bow River down below. The building, of course, gets its name partly because of the river and partly because of its crescent shape.
It was first proposed in 2006 to become the headquarters for Encana Corporation - the company which is still in there today. They’re North America’s second largest natural gas producer, in case you were wondering! Construction began in 2007 but was paused in 2008 during the financial crisis. Luckily, they received $400 million in funding shortly after stopping the work, which gave them the means to continue building.
At 1.7 million square feet, The Bow has a frame made entirely out of steel - 48,000 tonnes of steel to be exact. There are 58 floors to the building, 53 of which are office space and the rest are retail, mechanical, and sky gardens.
After being completed in 2012, there was an official opening in June 2013 for the city of Calgary to celebrate the new landmark. There were fireworks and everything! It’s great to see a city so proud of new, notable developments.
Have you seen The Bow in Calgary before? What did you think? Let us know on Twitter.
Cover Photo via davebloggs007 on Flickr
