THE CHALLENGE
Maintain design, budgets and schedule as presented in original schematic drawings. It was now the responsibility of each member of the design build team to help the architect and engineer design a practical and cost effective building.

THE PROJECT
This high profile site viewed from the busy highway 401 was developed by Polaris Reality to provide first class accommodation for Financial Models Corporation.

THE TRIUMPH
Design meetings were held every two weeks and included the design architect, structural design engineer, the design build contractor, the precast concrete contractor, curtain wall contractor, mechanical and electrical and sprinkler trades. All parties participated in resolving many design issues, working together, making compromises when necessary to ensure the original architectural design was maintained.

As the structural design was developed and sizes of concrete beams and columns were identified, it was quite apparent that very little tolerance and room for the insulated air vapour barrier remained. The normal way of fastening and supporting the precast was not going to work. A new method had to be developed. A hybrid support system was developed with part of the precast supported on adjacent concrete columns, and part of the precast / window wall supported on two story self-load bearing precast columns.

Precast connector locations interfered with the curtain wall frames. The structural engineer and the forming contractor agreed to change the structural frame with additional drops and pockets to accommodate our connections by pocketing them in the structural frame, out of the way of other trades that would follow.

The early involvement not just by Res Precast Inc. but all significant trades helped Internorth Construction Company Limited design and bring this project in on budget and on time.

THE DETAILS
Architectural Precast Wall Panels: 30,000 sqft.
Architectural Structural Load-Bearing Precast Columns: 7,000 sqft.

Architect: Shore Tilbe Irwin & Partners
Engineer: John Stephenson Consultants Ltd.
Owner: Polaris Reality (Canada) Ltd.
Project Manager: Internorth Construction Company Limited
Precaster: Res Precast Inc.