[1ajs]

Bow
http://www.compscience.info/public/images/2008/bow-may29-3.jpg
Why would they be powerwashing the road deck? They've been at it now for 2 days at least
so they can seal the concreat deck with somesorta coating?

[mersar]

Bow

http://www.compscience.info/public/images/2008/bow-jun1-1.jpg
The Wolff has been moved

http://www.compscience.info/public/images/2008/bow-jun1-2.jpg
Work on the east end of the bridge deck

http://www.compscience.info/public/images/2008/bow-jun1-3.jpg
Curbs have been poured partially

[boow]

I didn't have time to upload the pics from Friday, so here is Friday and today's pictures. It seems they're starting to plaster the bridge with some kind of tar. At the rate they're going it'll take forever. I have yet to see any vehicles at all go on the bridge.

On the south end of the site they're starting to excavate deeper. And on the north side they're just digging random holes and putting up steel columns.

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/120/picture007cf7.jpg
http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/6963/picture008ok5.jpg
http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/9518/picture009pm5.jpg
http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/2100/picture010nx4.jpg
http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/3700/picture011ts6.jpg
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/4152/picture012ik1.jpg
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/4443/picture013fu2.jpg

[Calgarian]

That tar is probably a hot bitumen membrane that would seal the deck so water won't leak into the parkade below.

[Boris2k7]

Courtesy of the Calgary Herald (http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/index.html)

June 2, 2008

http://img383.imageshack.us/img383/2600/bowcal0602km2.jpg

[Boris2k7]

All pics courtesy of myself

June 03, 2008
http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/6672/img2893vx4.jpg

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/4717/img2895fe2.jpg

http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/2027/img2896ka2.jpg

http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/2120/img2897rl7.jpg

http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/8277/img2898pq4.jpg

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/1637/img2901lf3.jpg

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/8024/img2902zo9.jpg

http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/5835/img2904sw2.jpg

http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/126/img2905ie5.jpg

http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/9111/img2907uj6.jpg

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/8602/img2910mb3.jpg

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/6034/img2914an1.jpg

http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/7117/img2917qk3.jpg

http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/9545/img2919ag4.jpg

Pano >>>
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/3883/bopanoszey1.jpg

[Boris2k7]

Some news regarding the bridge, and confirmation on that waterproof membrane

Stampede expects 6th Avenue route for parade as Bow closure nears end (http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/city/story.html?id=8f2f0257-41e0-4018-9528-163affb4a4f2)
Construction 'slightly ahead' of schedule
Kim Guttormson, Calgary Herald
Published: Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Construction is on track to allow the Stampede parade to follow its traditional route down 6th Avenue, with horses and floats crossing the huge hole that has kept a downtown block closed for the past year.

Crews are nearing completion on a bridge across the six-storey pit and the developers are confident the street will be reopened, as promised, in time for the July 4 parade.

"We're actually slightly ahead of schedule," said Michael Brown, associate vice-president of Matthews Development, which is building the 58-storey Bow tower. "(The city) agreed to allow us to dig up the road as long as we returned it to the street you see today in time for the Stampede parade.

"Stampede is huge. For us, it was a no-brainer."

A waterproof membrane was placed on the road earlier this week, Brown said, to be followed by another slab of concrete and then asphalt.

"It will look like any other road," he added, albeit a stretch of road sitting atop six storeys of parkade.

Matthews was allowed to close a block of 6th Avenue between Centre Street and 1st Street S.E. last August, to accommodate construction of the parkade for The Bow.

The hole stretches from 5th Avenue to 7th Avenue.

Doug Fraser, spokesman for the Stampede, said while it has a contingency route in place, it has been assured the road will be open.

"I believe we will have 6th Avenue," he said of the parade's traditional route.

That block will be four lanes wide, but won't be able to accommodate bleachers. Matthews has also agreed to place tall screens along the sides of the road so the pit isn't visible.

"From what I understand, we want 10-foot hoarding along the sides so the horses won't get spooked," Fraser said.

Matthews is considering a design on the screens that thanks Calgarians for their patience while the road was shut down.

"We don't take it for granted," Brown said.

The block of 6th Avenue would be reopened to the public after the parade.

Mac Logan, the city's director of roads, said it is still discussing a number of issues with Matthews, including placing a sidewalk along one side of the road.

"But they deserve some praise. They came up with a solution and lived up to the commitment," Logan said.

"There's been very few problems."

Logan said the city also has some work to do, including changing the timing of traffic signals altered to accommodate the 11-month detour.

Matthews faced stiff fines if it didn't meet the Stampede deadline -- $14,000 for every late day, compared with the usual $20,000 a month.

The complex Bow site has challenged crews working on the future EnCana headquarters.

While work is just beginning on the bottom floors of the parkade, Matthews built up the structure under 6th Avenue so the road can reopen next month.

As commuters travel home, crews will continue to work 20 metres below, connecting the parkade to the rest of the structure.

Workers will also install huge steel stilts filled with concrete that will hold a steel-and-concrete floor to accommodate trucks and cranes so that work can begin on the actual building while the parkade is under construction.

kguttormson@theherald.canwest.com


© The Calgary Herald 2008

[Calgarian]

Great news about the bridge. I was wondering how they would handle the drop, I could see some horses getting a little spooked by it. Too bad there will be such a big hole in the crowd though.

[neverdone]

Are there a lot of horses that move through Calgary, and what does the article mean by bleachers? Are there any major mountains near Calgary?

[Jimby]

Are there a lot of horses that move through Calgary, and what does the article mean by bleachers? Are there any major mountains near Calgary?

The horses would be in the Calgary Stampede Parade Friday morning July 4, the bleachers are for people to sit on to watch the parade, and the Rocky Mountains front range are about an hour's drive west of the city.

[srperrycgy]

Are there a lot of horses that move through Calgary, and what does the article mean by bleachers? Are there any major mountains near Calgary?

OK, first there are lots of horses in the Calgary Stampede PARADE. Second, people SIT on bleachers to watch said PARADE. Third, there is a large chain of mountains called the Rockies that runs north-south in Western North America of which Calgary is close to. Thanks for coming out! :rolleyes:

Great pics of The Bow as always guys.

[mersar]

Bow

http://www.compscience.info/public/images/2008/bow-jun4-1.jpg

http://www.compscience.info/public/images/2008/bow-jun4-2.jpg

Theres also a good size pile of steel that likely is for going between each column laying on the east side of the pit

[Senz]

.

[Innersoul1]

I am just LURVING watching The Bow take shape!

[1ajs]

wow

[Surrealplaces]

From Canuck571@Flickr
http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/3290/bowjun052fu0.jpg
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/2113/bowjun053ym5.jpg

[mersar]

Bow
http://compscience.info/public/images/2008/bow-jun5-1.jpg
Cross beams going in

http://compscience.info/public/images/2008/bow-jun5-2.jpg
Concrete they were pouring on the 4th

http://compscience.info/public/images/2008/bow-jun5-3.jpg
Rebar for the columns

http://compscience.info/public/images/2008/bow-jun5-4.jpg
The top 'plug' for one of the columns?

http://compscience.info/public/images/2008/bow-jun5-5.jpg
Stacks of steel

http://compscience.info/public/images/2008/bow-jun5-6.jpg
Overview. Not many more big columns to be put up now, mostly smaller ones on the inside of the tower

[boow]

http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/3916/picture014rt6.jpg

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/875/picture015aa1.jpg

http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/607/picture016gu8.jpg

[You Need A Thneed]

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/875/picture015aa1.jpg


Someone asked about expansion joints in this thread, or another one, well, it doesn't look like there will be any, not even between the bridge and the approach slabs.

[jbettcher]

Most likely they will be putting the big cross braces on all of the outside columns then start tying in all the rest of the steel to create the floors of the parkade. I wonder how they'll finish the parkade structure whether they'll lay Q decking and pour concrete on top, or if they'll have a completely different strategy.

[Surrealplaces]

They're really making great progress on that bridge.

[Surrealplaces]

Taken by me, earlier today.

http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/5582/000ck2.jpg
http://img371.imageshack.us/img371/363/000ks1.jpg

[Jimby]

Monday evening June 9, pics by me

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj184/lumin8_bucket/DSC_0052-4.jpg


http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj184/lumin8_bucket/DSC_0053-4.jpg


http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj184/lumin8_bucket/DSC_0054-3.jpg


http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj184/lumin8_bucket/DSC_0055-2.jpg


http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj184/lumin8_bucket/DSC_0057-1.jpg

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj184/lumin8_bucket/DSC_0058-2.jpg


http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj184/lumin8_bucket/DSC_0059-3.jpg


http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj184/lumin8_bucket/DSC_0060-1.jpg


http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj184/lumin8_bucket/DSC_0061-1.jpg


http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj184/lumin8_bucket/DSC_0062-2.jpg



http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj184/lumin8_bucket/DSC_0064-6.jpg


http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj184/lumin8_bucket/DSC_0068-4.jpg



http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj184/lumin8_bucket/DSC_0072-5.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3282/2566970826_bbfe5edebb_b.jpg





http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2097/2566759790_b64c5a041c_b.jpg

[The Kid]

Awesome pics LFTC! I'm always impressed with the quality of your photos. The first one is kick ass and so is the one of the twin Petro can buildings with the old firehall in it.

[feepa]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080607.ROCHON07/TPStory/TPEntertainment/

[Boris2k7]

Thanks for the link Feepa. I'll post the full article here (as usual, will be linked to the front page of this thread).

I think our discussion here on SSP is the reason for the spread of many rumours, and I still haven't forgiven the last round of changes (to the atrium). I probably never will... H&R royally fucked this one up. Thanks a lot, you penny-pinching bastards.

CITYSPACE: ARCHITECTURE: THE BOW PROJECT
So many promises: Were they just a tall tale? (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080607.ROCHON07/TPStory/TPEntertainment/)

LISA ROCHON
lrochon@globeandmail.com
June 7, 2008

CALGARY -- A skyscraper that British architect Norman Foster promised would deliver innovation and urban vitality to Calgary's downtown has suffered some serious blows. The cuts to the original design vision - elimination of suspended sky pods and the filling in of a soaring atrium - may satisfy the owner's bottom line, but they will also hurt the city's attempt to ride its economic boom in style.

The Bow, announced with much fanfare in 2005 as being built to be the new headquarters of the giant Canadian oil and gas producer EnCana Corp., is the carpe diem moment for tall-tower architecture in Calgary. And, to be sure, the fact that Foster is working in town has had a magical affect. People are debating design. Hundreds of curious onlookers attended the recent pouring of concrete foundations, one of the largest ever in Canadian history. The Bow's exposed lattice-like "diagrid" structure and sky gardens will be a stunning addition to the city's skyline. But, the good news stops there. Some of the key innovative features of the 58-storey tower have been compromised, delayed or cancelled.

In other words, the savings gained by the building's new owners, H + R Developments, are adding up to a city's losses. (EnCana, which remains the Bow's primary tenant, sold the building to H + R last year.)

"The original design that we saw was remarkable," says long-time Calgary Alderman Druh Farrell, who represents the east end of Calgary where the Bow project is located. "There was to be the incorporation of a major cultural facility, but then reality set in and there were cost escalations. It's forced them to scale back some of the elements that I thought were the most valued and significant to Calgarians."

Foster's reputation as a blue-chip design star has been built largely on technologically exhilarating buildings - towers in the sky with vertigo-inducing atriums allowing for a visual thrill, as well as heightened access to natural light and fresh air. His Commerzbank Tower in Germany's business capital of Frankfurt, the tallest building in Europe and a landmark in terms of its energy-saving and pollution-reducing designs, provided an atrium free of obstruction with direct views to many gardens punctuating the tower. His recently completed Leslie Dan Pharmacy Building at the University of Toronto features two pod-like lecture halls suspended within the 12-storey atrium.

But, in Calgary, the escalating cost of steel has apparently contributed to the undoing of the classic Foster vision. Late in 2007, H + R asked Foster and Canadian collaborator Zeidler Partnership to find a significant increase in rentable space to help offset construction costs. Earlier this year, it was decided - and approved by the Calgary planning department - that the 58-storey atrium originally proposed to the public will be primarily filled in by the addition of 120,000 square feet of floor space that can be leased.

I'm not sure this is what the 4,000 EnCana employees expected when they were consulted about relocating to one central location in Calgary's downtown. Rather than being provided with a large southwest atrium with a series of suspended landscaped pods - it's possible to see the floating trees in the original renderings - offices will come smack up to a double-skinned glass curtain wall. Rather than the luxury of a large, airy atrium, air will flow up the total height of the tower through a glass shaft 2.6 metres wide. There will, however, be a six-storey lobby animated by the diagonal bracing of the building and the way that the massive steel columns spring out of six-point structural nodes. Further delight will be found in three sky gardens on the 24th, 42nd and 54th floors, each measuring about 5,000 square feet.

EnCana's original vision was to go for LEED gold, the internationally recognized Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design accreditation system that awards points for sustainable design. But when the building was sold to H + R, Foster + Partners was told simply to apply its deep experience with sustainable design to the Bow project rather than dedicating the time and money to formalizing the building's sustainability. "We are as an office always conscious to design sustainably," says project architect James Barnes from his office in London. True, achieving LEED status could cost H + R approximately $1-million in paperwork - peanuts, given that the building could cost up to $1-billion. It's a curious bit of cost-cutting. In contrast, the recently completed Hearst tower by Foster + Partners in New York's Upper West Side trumpeted the fact that it was the first gold LEED building in New York. About the Calgary decision, Barnes sounds slightly apologetic: "The public will have to take our word for it, so to speak."

When the project was announced, the marketing pitch was that the Regis Hotel would be restored, and a six-storey podium building, featuring the façade of the historic York hotel, would provide retail space at ground level and, above, several stories of cultural vitality. But, so far, attempts to achieve a civic vision for the development have been cursed. Countless meetings were held between EnCana and cultural agencies. The Glenbow Museum, desperate to showcase more of its remarkable 1.3 million artifacts from around the world, was the most obvious candidate. Theatre Calgary and the promoters of a Calgary-based National Portrait Gallery also made proposals. But the province of Alberta - ever parsimonious when it comes to cultural spending - refused to pony up.

Finally, plans to open a new district energy plant within the Bow have been shelved temporarily. The facility - like the one being designed by New York architect Steven Holl to provide energy for Toronto's West Donlands neighbourhood - was to provide efficient heating and cooling not only for the EnCana but for Calgary's East Village. Instead, a standard system has been fitted on the roof of the Bow.

Alderman Farrell says she's troubled by the lack of transparency around the changes, something she characterizes as "secretive." "Normally a change, even of the atrium, would have had to go through planning commission, and they did not go through planning commission."

What the Bow project stands for, with its elegant crescent shape and civic plaza with reflecting pool, is a new, higher benchmark for Calgary's future developments. "There are high expectations for this building. We don't want just a big iconic tower, that doesn't accomplish much. We have a tendency to settle," says Farrell, "and it's time to start feeling that good enough isn't good enough."

[Wooster]

I was interviewed by CBC radio about these changes, the link is below. The story called "Changes to the Bow Building Project"

http://www.cbc.ca/eyeopener/

There will also be a Herald Article (likely Wednesday) about it as well.

Funny how news agencies just copy each other's stories.

[Boris2k7]

They have been rather slow with it too, considering that we were discussing these changes over a month ago.

[Wooster]

^ The same reporter that interviewed me today for the Herald, I handed the story to over a month ago, when the news broke on here! She could've had the exclusive, instead she is third to break the story!

[slide_rule]

eh, it's too bad that encana had to compromise the design at the end. it's good for their immediate bottom line, but bad for fans of good architecture. with their windfall profits, you'd assume this would be the right time for them to lavish big money on a prestige project.

at the same time, it's still going to be something people can be proud of. and more importantly it's a symbol of downtown calgary's vitality. DT calgary's health was never in doubt, but there are plenty of other north american business districts in distress.

it's hard for scale models to accurately depict the look of glass in buildings. glass only appears transparent when viewed from a small range of angles.

*woops, H&R is the villain involved. it's hard to take the construction guy at face value, he has plenty of incentive to give a positive spin. i was looking forward to both the public space inside the atrium, and its passive heating capability.

[Boris2k7]

but bad for fans of good architecture.

I keep pushing a point here, and nobody in the Calgary forum seems to listen much, but it goes so far beyond that. And the article reaffirms it. It's not just about the compromised architectural vision, as bad as it is. It is a major loss socially, for employees and the public who could have equally valued the atria. It is a major loss environmentally as the building could have attained a higher standard. It is a major loss symbolically, as it reveals Calgary as a city that isn't ready for world class design, and the companies involved as anything but ambitious.

Will the Bow still be a great building, yes. Will it be as good as it could have been, certainly not. And it's that inability to grasp this project's true potential which is so aggravating.

[Boris2k7]

Oh yeah, a little late posting this. But here's a CH update.

Courtesy of the Calgary Herald (http://www.calgaryherald.com)

June 9, 2008

http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/1314/the20bowuv1.jpg

It was a little hard to find this time, given that the Herald apparently does not feel the need to list the "Bow Rising" photos in their front page index anymore.

[The Kid]

^^I find I have different opinions on many things with you Boris, but on this issue you are right on the money. I think the changes are tragic and would have liked the city insist the design stayed true to what was approved.

[Jimby]

Awesome pics LFTC! I'm always impressed with the quality of your photos. The first one is kick ass and so is the one of the twin Petro can buildings with the old firehall in it.

Thanks! The light was really good on Monday evening in between the rain showers, it seemed to light up the buildings.

[Boris2k7]

All pics courtesy of myself

June 11, 2008

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/4301/img3032ln3.jpg

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/7526/img3033rn7.jpg

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/7438/img3039qi4.jpg

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/9578/img3040qi8.jpg

Pano >>>
http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/7433/bopanoszui0.jpg

[Wyku]

Man, they're sure going all out on sealing up that bridge properly; get to the paving! :haha:

[mersar]

Man, they're sure going all out on sealing up that bridge properly; get to the paving! :haha:

Paving won't be far off, they've poured the final layer of concrete, so probably next week. That gives them roughly 2 weeks to get the barriers in place before it opens.

[Wyku]

Awesome. I think it's an amazing engineering/construction feat that they were able to do what they did in the time frame they had. Hopefully the rest of the project keeps going as smoothly as it has been (construction wise that is, not design change wise...:koko: ).

[Surrealplaces]

Nice update pictures everyone.

[boow]

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/9461/picture017zh0.jpg

http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/9052/picture018hu1.jpg

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/7025/picture019vh8.jpg

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/2838/picture020oh4.jpg

[Innersoul1]

Great shots of the bridge you have a nice vantage point!

[slide_rule]

It is a major loss socially, for employees and the public who could have equally valued the atria. It is a major loss environmentally as the building could have attained a higher standard. It is a major loss symbolically, as it reveals Calgary as a city that isn't ready for world class design, and the companies involved as anything but ambitious.

get ready for more of this. unfortunately the purity of good architecture is almost inevitably compromised by the immediate bottom line. what's worse, even money-no-object architecture is generally more focused on doing something spectacular (e.g. exploding blobs 'n shards) than with anything truly innovative in terms of structure. concepts such as sustainability don't really show up in glossy magazine articles, and people generally only care about the outside appearances anyway, so they're not stressed as much.

that said, it's still an above-average project. norman foster probably won't appreciate his name being attached to a compromised design. but his desire to maintain his brand name is probably tempered by the fact that he's received a nice commission.

[shogged]

yea this really is disappointing. I was looking forward to standing in the atrium of the bow and just staring up at something truly world class.

[Surrealplaces]

Taken by Canuck571@Flickr

This is a different angle. Looks like it's from the roof of the Legion.

http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/2198/bow1yc1.jpg

[Wyku]

I was looking forward to the eventual movie scene being shot at The Bow where the bad guy gets blasted out a window into the atrium and falls to his death :jester:

[Wooster]

Apparently there's still a 3 metre gap all the way up plus the three 6 storey skydecks. Could make for an even more interesting fall!

[boow]

^^Surreal, that one was taken from the sidewalk across from the Ctrain.

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/7302/picture001vx5.jpg
http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/7995/picture002fd2.jpg

I'm curious what they're going to do with the red crane, as if they don't have enough...

[You Need A Thneed]

That's pretty close to where they just moved the Red Wolff too. Are they going to move the Wolff again?

[mersar]

According to what I was told tonight, yes, the Wolff is only being moved. The part on the slab isn't a base, its part of the Wolff that they just set down there.

[You Need A Thneed]

According to what I was told tonight, yes, the Wolff is only being moved. The part on the slab isn't a base, its part of the Wolff that they just set down there.

I was confused becauae I thought the crane sitting on the bridge there was a slighty different colour.

[You Need A Thneed]

Dp

[Calalb]

^^Surreal, that one was taken from the sidewalk across from the Ctrain.

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/7302/picture001vx5.jpg
http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/7995/picture002fd2.jpg

I'm curious what they're going to do with the red crane, as if they don't have enough...

Good Shots!! Thanks for the updates boow. :tup:

[mersar]

The red Wolff crane was reassembled and is back up today, looked to be in the same location so it may have been taken apart to replace a part or something I suspect.

[Boris2k7]

This article hasn't been posted, though it is about a week and a half old, it has some insights into the construction

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/7558/100dp2.jpg
DAVID JEFFERIES/ZEIDLER PARTNERSHIP ARCHITECTS

Massive steel columns await installation at Encana Corporation’s Bow office tower.


Tons of steel make Calgary’s Bow tower possible (http://www.journalofcommerce.com/article/id28140)

June 6, 2008
Richard Gilbert
staff writer

Installation of the steel columns to support one of the tallest office towers in Calgary is underway.

Ledcor Construction began erecting the massive structural steel columns, both above and below ground, for the Bow building.

The 58-storey building in downtown Calgary will be the new corporate headquarters for EnCana Corporation.

Ledcor Construction also poured the concrete foundation for the building in 40 hours between May 9 and May 11.

This was the largest continuously poured footing of a commercial building in Canada.

The raft slab (foundation), which is 2,787 square metres and about three metres thick, used 2,500 tonnes of reinforcing steel and 15,000 pounds of tie wire.

The completion of the foundation work also marked the beginning of another significant milestone, the start of the erection of the structural steel.

“We have started erecting the structural steel pipe columns coming off the raft slab, which is the fifth level of parking, to the underside of the main floor,” said Kerry Gillis, senior vice-president of Ledcor Construction. “We put the structural steel columns up and then we put the structural steel framing for the main floor, as well as the metal deck and the concrete on the metal deck. Then we will come in from underneath and put the concrete parking floor in at the same time we go up with the structural steel.”

The Bow building will use close to 40,000 metric tons of structural steel, which was ordered mostly from the U.S. and Canada.

“On a project this size, 20 to 25 per cent of the steel for the building needs to be prefabricated before the erection starts or they will run out of steel,” explained Gillis.

The trade contractor for the Bow’s steel is Supreme Walters, which is a joint venture between Edmonton-based Supreme Steel and Hamilton-based Walters.

The main floor steel and the standard sections are being fabricated in Edmonton, Saskatoon, Vancouver, Portland and Seattle by Supreme.

The steel for the atrium and the exterior steel diagrid framing sections, which are the Bow’s main architectural feature, are being fabricated in Hamilton and Montreal by Walters.

“The steel from eastern Canada, which has sections reaching 70 tons in size, will be shipped by train and marshaled in a yard in the east end of Calgary. From there the steel will be delivered to the site as required,” said Gillis. “The standard sections of structural steel will be marshaled in Supreme’s yard in Edmonton or the yard in the east end of Calgary.”

Supreme is handling the logistics of steel delivery to the site.

“Due to the tight material handling aspects of the site, the steel will be delivered just in time,” Gillis said.

The company is using an ambitious construction schedule to complete the project.

“We expect to do a floor a week, when we get into a typical floor construction cycle,” he said. The Bow is expected to reach its full height by April 2009.

My only criticism of the article, being that this is a Canadian construction magazine, is that they should be consistent with the labelling. Metric tons = tonnes. Keep it that way, otherwise we might get some confusion when they later say "sections reaching 70 tons in size" ... do they mean 63,502.9kg (70 tons) or 70,000kg (70 tonnes)?

For those who are still aren't metricized and can't yet relate to a unit such as the kilogram, and are too lazy to do some basic conversions, I will simply note that I am about 80Kg, and I'm not a big guy. I probably was 70Kg when I was in High School. So one of these large steel sections is about 10,000 times the mass of a moderately sized teenager.

[mersar]

Thanks for posting that.

Next challenge, find this marshalling yard and take photos :P We managed to find the mock up of the exterior, though we did have a photo to help with that.

[Boris2k7]

Thanks for posting that.

Next challenge, find this marshalling yard and take photos :P We managed to find the mock up of the exterior, though we did have a photo to help with that.

If it's in the Alyth Yards, it would be easy to get photos. However, if its down in the Ogden Yards it might be more of a challenge.

[mersar]

If it's in the Alyth Yards, it would be easy to get photos. However, if its down in the Ogden Yards it might be more of a challenge.

It likely isn't in the actual rail yards themselves, but it likely is a site with a rail spur running into it. Theres a few sites down in the sheppard area that fit the bill that come to mind.

[boow]

First time I saw a vehicle on the bridge today

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/2502/picture001hm7.jpg

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/2586/picture002jd6.jpg

[Innersoul1]

Any idea how the drainage is going to work on the bridge? I didn't see anything going in during the construction process.

[You Need A Thneed]

Any idea how the drainage is going to work on the bridge? I didn't see anything going in during the construction process.

They may have just built a slight crown on the bridge so that it water flows towards drains on Centre Street or 1st St.

Drainage might also be something they will install later, as they didn't want to slow down the process of reopening the road by adding that step.

The question is whether they can run the drainage into the city storm sewer, or whether they have to deal with it themselves.

[mersar]

They may have just built a slight crown on the bridge so that it water flows towards drains on Centre Street or 1st St.

Drainage might also be something they will install later, as they didn't want to slow down the process of reopening the road by adding that step.

The question is whether they can run the drainage into the city storm sewer, or whether they have to deal with it themselves.

I believe the DP specified that drainage from the bridge will be handled through the buildings system, so not a direct tie into the city storm sewers.

[Calgarian]

The buildings drainage will tie into the city storm sewer. All water that falls on the site must be collected on the site so as not to overwhelm the drains on the adjascent streets.

[Boris2k7]

Thanks to cre8ivjay for noticing this article and posting it (in the Calgary Construction Thread) seeing as though I do not read the Calgary Sun.

EnCana deal will put Calgary on world art map (http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Columnists/Platt_Michael/2008/06/16/5890296-sun.php)
Mon, June 16, 2008
By MICHAEL PLATT

The artists's name is Jaume Plensa, and the only thing certain so far: Whatever he has planned for the base of Calgary's largest office tower, it'll be impossible to ignore.

That's a guarantee, even if you're the type who thinks of art only when it's on sale at the nearest mall, preferably in a colour scheme that matches the new sofa cushions.

You might love it, or you might loathe it, but the Spanish artist known for his head-scratching, eye-poppingly odd public sculpture is certain to change Calgary's perception of public art for good.

It makes sense. If you're building the tallest office tower in Western Canada, you should ask the biggest "big art" artist in the world to anchor it -- and EnCana has not disappointed.

Jaume Plensa, born in 1955, Barcelona, Spain, is best known for his Crown Fountain in Chicago's Millennium Park.

He's not quite a household name, but the rumour Plensa has been chosen to create an installation for the Bow building at Centre St. and 6 Ave. has had local art lovers giddy with anticipation for weeks.

That giddiness can now switch to pure glee -- EnCana has confirmed the rumour as truth, and it will be not one, but two works of art.

"Jaume Plensa is the artist," said EnCana spokeswoman Carol Howes.

Plensa was chosen from 20 competing artists to create art installations for the main plaza and northwest podium of the under-construction Bow, and they'll both be unveiled in a few months, says Howes.

Fabrication methods for the main plaza piece are currently being explored -- in other words, experts are deciding how to make Plensa's idea actually work, and how to best build it.

That it requires a "fabrication study" suggests it's going to be big and impressive.

Howes says the artist visited Calgary and spent time here getting to know the city and its citizens before submitting the design.

"We're very excited about this because we believe the installation of Mr. Plensa's work against the backdrop of the Bow will make a strong cultural statement, not just in Calgary, but in Canada and internationally," said Howes.

Of course, corporations have expressed excitement about art in this city before, and we've ended up with more bronze horses and soulless statues. This promises to be different.

It's a big deal because Plensa is a big deal, at least in the world of public art.

He's the Picasso of large sculpture, in that his work is unpredictable, challenging and desirable -- for Calgary, a major Plensa piece is a serious coup, finally putting our city on the world art map.

The aforementioned fountain in Chicago's Millennium Park, which opened in 2004, is considered one of the windy city's major landmarks, drawing visitors from all over the globe, and driving up real-estate values in the neighbourhood near the park.

So what is this magnificent tourist magnet? It's a fountain. A fountain that spits at you.

Huh? You read that right. Plensa erected two glass towers filled with light-emitting diodes, and the towers broadcast photographic close-ups of citizen's faces, not unlike a massive television.

But every so often, as the huge faces flash by, one will purse its lips and a spout of water will shoot forth, "spitting" on the delighted people below.

YouTube "Plensa" and watch for yourself. His past famous works include a landmark-sized person built with letters, and a row of giant gongs, waiting to be played.

Plensa's recent output often involves modern media such as neon, lasers and electricity.

He famously designed an overhead light and water installation in Raleigh, N.C., that would have mimicked the aurora borealis had it not been rejected as unsuitable for a historic district.

Though there's bound to be controversy in Calgary, there's little chance his ultra-modern ideas won't suit our core.

Ald. Druh Farrell optimistically believes Calgary is ready for art that does more than blend into its surroundings, and the recent announcement of a $1-million public sculpture by Canadian artist Micah Lexier in Victoria Park shows she might be right.

"We're seeing a city that's finally getting excited about public art," said Farrell.


Also, thanks to all our other contributors, bringing us pictures and insider info on The Bow.

[boow]

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/7199/picture001wl8.jpg

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/2672/picture002qj9.jpg

http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/4048/picture003ss1.jpg

[Wyku]

^
^
^
That's a pretty sweet site to see :yes:

[mersar]

Awesome, good to see the pavement. We're getting really close now.

Thanks for the shots Boow

[You Need A Thneed]

To me, it doesn't look like they are putting any crash barrier up, though maybe we'll see some portable jersey barriers go up just before they open. The way they built those railing with solid plywood doesn't make it look like anything else will be getting added.

[mersar]

They also indicated there would be a sidewalk along one side, so I'm suspecting that there will be a row of barriers with the screening they also promised, with the sidewalk on the south side running on the pavement (if you look at the first photo you can kind of see how the pavement extends past where the edge of the sidewalk in front of CPS is)

[Surrealplaces]

Nice to see them paving. Are they still going to be putting slate tiles or is that done with?

[Slug]

:previous: Probably axed as a hedge against rising steel prices.

[You Need A Thneed]

Nice to see them paving. Are they still going to be putting slate tiles or is that done with?

Like I mentioned before, they wouldn't be going on until near project end anyway, they would want them to look new when the building is brand new. The pavement may be in for a few years, even if there is granite (or whatever) going down.

[Gacked]

The Bow - 06/18/08 - by me
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa37/gacked25/The%20Bow/P1020413.jpg
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa37/gacked25/The%20Bow/P1020415.jpg
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa37/gacked25/The%20Bow/SCS_0001-1.jpg

[Calgarian]

Great updates, good to see more steel going up. The road deck looks done, but I don't see any expansion joints on it, that makes me a little curious.

[Bigtime]

In that last shot on the top of the one steel pillar am I seeing the starting points for the diagrid steel?

Edit: In the 2nd last shot you can see them on 3 of the pillars, must be them.

[Wooster]

In that last shot on the top of the one steel pillar am I seeing the starting points for the diagrid steel?

Wow, I think you're right! Interesting.

[Calgarian]

In that last shot on the top of the one steel pillar am I seeing the starting points for the diagrid steel?

Edit: In the 2nd last shot you can see them on 3 of the pillars, must be them.

Looks like it to me.

[You Need A Thneed]

I wonder when they will connect the concrete bridge to the steel structure and decking? They seem to working elsewhere first. I suppose that part of the structure will be steel beams as well. It looks like something is supposed to rest on the other half of those concrete columns.

[shadylimburg]

Does anyone know how they are fastening the steel columns, I-beams, girders, etc. at The Bow consruction site? Is it welding, bolting or rivets? I can't tell from my vantage point and it's driving me mad!

[Blue_Cypress]

A combination of welding and bolting.

[Boris2k7]

This update is coming a little late, from Monday, courtesy of the Calgary Herald (http://www.calgaryherald.com)

June 16, 2008

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/8729/bowcal0616lt1.jpg


I have my own updates from today coming up.

[Boris2k7]

All pics courtesy of myself

June 19, 2008

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/4277/img3082zv5.jpg

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/9118/img3091pu5.jpg

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/4747/img3092tu3.jpg

http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/1224/img3093dg9.jpg

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/3797/img3094lw6.jpg

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/230/img3095bm1.jpg

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/1382/img3096zo3.jpg

http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/9565/img3099tp5.jpg


Pano >>>

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/9127/szbopanoyx1.jpg

[mersar]

Based off where 6th avenue looks to be at in that shot, I'd venture to say that they could be ready to open the roadway by Monday. Who knows, but just imagine the good press they'd get if they did manage to open it nearly 2 weeks ahead of schedule.

And its a bit hard to tell, but it does look like there is enough room for a sidewalk on both sides, Boris can you confirm that?

[Boris2k7]

Yes, from what I saw, there may just be enough space in there. It would have to be a relatively thin one though... my guesstimate is around 1.5m, and that's also including those poles being right in the middle.

[mersar]

Looks like no sidewalk on the north side actually, its under a meter wide on that side, versus a full lane on the south (which may not even be for a sidewalk). And it looks like I was correct in my earlier call (either here or in the Calgary thread) about using the linked New Jersey barriers.

http://www.compscience.info/public/images/2008/bow-jun20-1.jpg

http://www.compscience.info/public/images/2008/bow-jun20-2.jpg

[Gacked]

The Bow - 06/23/08 - by me
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa37/gacked25/The%20Bow/P1020419.jpg
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa37/gacked25/The%20Bow/SCS_0006-2.jpg
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa37/gacked25/The%20Bow/SCS_0010-1.jpg

[Bigtime]

Great shots Gacked!

I love the signage that is going up on the fencing around the site.

[evolv]

Gacked you most definitely have the best vantage point for watching the progress.

In the last pic there is what looks to be more steel sections for the diagrid

[mersar]

Gacked you most definitely have the best vantage point for watching the progress.

In the last pic there is what looks to be more steel sections for the diagrid

Yep, that appears to be another cap, looks like for one of the rectangular columns.

I'm a bit curious as to the wheel segment the mobile crane is lifting though. I haven't seen them bring in any of the large steel segments, are they just using those dollys under the steel instead of a flatbed trailer?

[Boris2k7]

Courtesy of the Calgary Herald (http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald)

June 23, 2008

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/1029/bowcal0623pq1kf9.jpg

[mersar]

Bow
http://www.compscience.info/public/images/2008/bow-jun24-1.jpg
The sidewalk will be on the north side according to what I was told, they couldn't tell me when it would open definately, or if it would be held closed until the parade.

http://www.compscience.info/public/images/2008/bow-jun24-2.jpg

http://www.compscience.info/public/images/2008/bow-jun24-3.jpg

[You Need A Thneed]

My guess is that the lane on the south side of the bridge that is separated will be for construction traffic only.

[Complex01]

Nice this one is moving along nicely. Very Kewl project...

:cool:

[Witty Nickname]

Little pano from this morning.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3065/2612214344_4d27c51d8f_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/witty_nickname/2612214344/)

Click for bigger (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3065/2612214344_edf52f65f7_o.jpg)

[Surrealplaces]

Nice updates everyone. :tup:

[1ajs]

hot dam

[OldDogNewTrick]

Had a look around a few days ago.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3129/2611895993_aea94f71f0.jpg

Looks like they could open it for traffic almost anytime.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3281/2612729746_20f7fa59a6.jpg

(As seen on Flickr)

[Boris2k7]

All pics courtesy of myself

June 30, 2008
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/766/img3131vu1.jpg

http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/6392/img3139fm8.jpg

http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/1513/img3141sh1.jpg

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/2559/img3142rg8.jpg

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/258/img3144cv6.jpg

http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/7544/img3145zt4.jpg

http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/8962/img3146te9.jpg

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/6954/img3147va1.jpg

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/9523/img3148wl6.jpg

Pano >>>
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/6444/szbopanocj8.jpg

[Boris2k7]

I have hightlighted the steel section that is at grade below:

http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/2442/bowsequence20080630ym9.png

Original image courtesy of Zeidler Architects

[Blue_Cypress]

That image would seem to confirm my thoughts -- we will see the diagrid climb skyward before the floorplates themselves. I think it'll be another month first though, as they finish up all the steel below grade and pour the apron at grade before continuing.

[Boris2k7]

Yeah, pretty much. I think if I were the contractor, getting that truck delivery done ASAP would by my highest priority right now. And it looks like it is proceeding at a good clip.