THE BOW Calgary, Alberta
ENCANA/CENOVUS CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
In 2005, MSW was chosen by EnCana Corporation (now EnCana/Cenovus) to act as the Development
Manager for its new headquarters located in downtown Calgary.
The Bow is a 58-story tower building, stretching across two city blocks. This enormous project holds the
record for being the tallest building in Calgary, and for having the largest continuous foundation concrete
pour in Canadian history.
Upon completion in 2012, “The Bow” includes in excess of 2.0 million square feet of commercial development
along with 1360 underground parking spaces and approximately 22,000 square feet of retail. The project is
the first significant mixed-use development
east of Centre Street in downtown Calgary, a
vibrant city of more than one million people.
The world renowned architectural firm of
Foster+Partners from London, England was
chosen by MSW and the client as lead
architect for the Project and was responsible
for the overall design of the complex. The
signature design firmly situates its tenant
and Calgary, Alberta at the forefront of the
global business arena that defines 21st
century commerce.
THE BOW is a one-of-a-kind workplace
experience for EnCana and Cenovus
employees. Its distinctive arrival on the
Calgary skyline also provides a new urban
destination for Calgarians and visitors. The
Tower sits within a new civic plaza which
connects the existing James Short Park and
Olympic Plaza. This space will feature a large
oval water feature which complements the
geometry of the Tower along with a series of
Public Art Pieces. Furthermore it creates an
area for outdoor functions and community
activities. Fronting 6th Avenue it offers a
unique vantage point for the annual Stampede
Parade.
In working with EnCana and Foster+Partners,
MSW established certain requirements and
preferences that would assure the productive
operation of the new building. For example,
the planning concept for the tower had a
strong focus on the idea of creating a unique
working environment tailored to the needs of
the EnCana staff. The large curved plan form
allows an entire team to sit on one floor and
interact freely with each member of staff
given a window view on the floor plate
perimeter.
The building’s form and massing have been developed to closely follow the climatic characteristics of
Calgary. This means paying attention to seasonal sun paths, rainfall, prevailing winds, humidity levels and
temperatures that are specific to this site. The aim of this approach is to allow the building to harness as
much of the climatic conditions as possible to benefit the people using the building and maximizing the
building’s overall performance and longevity. Through careful building orientation, the tower is able to
harness the power of the sun to heat and cool the structure. Its signature “bow” shape vastly reduces wind
resistance, increases exposure to sunlight, and allows for more windows to be incorporated into its design.
After construction commenced in 2007, MSW has been responsible for the construction management and
oversight on behalf of the owner, H&R REIT, and will be overseeing the tenant improvements on behalf of
the tenant EnCana.
The cost for The Bow from land acquisition to final tenant improvement was in excess of $1.6 billion. The
Bow used 43,000 tons of structural steel and 83,000 m2 (900,000 sq.ft.) of glass. The concrete pour for
the raft slab took place over the course of three shifts, involved 500 people, and simultaneously required
between 75 and 95 concrete trucks pouring continuously.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS:
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Calgary’s tallest building
Largest continuous concrete foundation pour in Canadian history
2 million square feet of office space
Below-grade parking structure holds 1,390 cars & 420 bicycles
Height: 236 meters (775 feet)
58-stories – including 3 floors with sky gardens & 2 retail floors
Major Components: Office, retail, restaurant
Tenants (Number/types): Corporate Headquarters
Schedule: 65 months
Date of Completion: Early 2012