Awards
Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia Medal in Architecture, 2008
Consulting Engineers of BC, Award of Excellence for Building Engineering, 2008
Canadian Institute of Steel Construction, BC Region Steel Design Award of Excellece, Architectural Category, 2008
Canadian Glass Magazine, Great Canadian Curtainwall Contest, First Place, 2002
What Makes it Green? AIA, 2001
International Design Resource Award, First Place, 2001
National Energy Efficiency Award, 2000
International Green Building Challenge, 2000
Consulting Engineers of BC, Award of Excellence, 2000
The TELUS House project was conceived to satisfy a number of internal business needs and, in doing so, revitalized an existing complex and created a powerful corporate presence for the company in downtown Vancouver. The project consisted of two major phases: an extensive renovation of the former building into office and retail space, and the creation of a feature atrium for team members that serves as a seismic upgrade for the building.
The first phase of TELUS House included extensive interior and exterior renovations of approximately 12,075 sm of office and equipment space. Instead of demolishing the existing nine-storey tower, TELUS and the design team devised an alternative solution: to recycle the building into offices and, in turn, save landfill, energy, resources, and establish the telecommunications company as a leader in environmental sustainability. The exterior revitalization was realized as an open, layered and sophisticated new ‘skin’ enveloping the old building shell. A double-glazed, fritted and frameless glazing system with operable windows is suspended from the existing building face, providing opportunities for a highly effective natural ventilation system. The second skin created the first double-wall/triple-skinned green building solution in Canada, while adhering to TELUS’ ultra-green mandate.
By not demolishing the existing building in favour of new construction, 16,000 tonnes of landfill and 15,600 tonnes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were saved. Yearly energy consumption has been reduced by 45-58% by using waste heat from an adjacent building, and efficient building systems operations will save an additional 39,000 tonnes of GHG emissions over a 75-year building lifespan. In recognition of its innovations in environmental performance, the TELUS House revitalization was one out of three projects selected to represent Canada at the Green Building Challenge in Maastricht, Netherlands.
Following the successful revitalization, TELUS Corporation proceeded with the second phase of the project – a new feature space and seismic upgrade. The TELUS House atrium was designed and constructed, utilizing a unique and elegant steel solution, which has resulted in increased structural integrity of the complex and substantially greater access to natural light for office users. The interior space also features two highly refined pedestrian bridges and a dramatic folded-plate steel stairway.
In addition to its innovations in sustainable design, TELUS House offered the design team great opportunities to achieve a high level of refinement. The second skin that envelops the exterior of the existing building’s shell proved both visually striking and comprehensive in achieving a high level environmental performance; and the elegant steel work and detailing in the atrium provides an original and expressive aesthetic in a visible communal space.
