With its two glass towers, the CIBC Square will shape the skyline of the Canadian economic centre in the future and also contribute to positive urban development for decades to come. The energy-efficient warm-edge system from adhesive and sealant manufacturer H.B. Fuller | Kömmerling was used in the construction of the characteristic glass lozenges in the facades.
The first of the two 250-metre-high glass towers has already been completed, the second is currently under construction and is expected to remain so until 2024. The British architects Wilkinson Eyre Architects are responsible for the design, while the Toronto-based office of Adamson Associates Architects oversees the execution. The central element of the project is the redevelopment of a 33,000 square metre campus including a transport hub between Toronto's financial district and an area along the shore Lake Ontario. Previously separated from each other by the wide Union Station track, the twin towers placed to the north and south of the tracks will in future connect the two neighbourhoods through a public park stretched high above the track corridor. Covering about one hectare, a near-natural oasis for encounters, cultural events and local recreation will be created on the fourth-floor level of the towers, with a wide view over the lake.
Forward-looking urban development
Richard Johnson
The skyscrapers themselves house not only the new headquarters of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), but also other first-class office and conference rooms for international companies. Also included is a podium with a spacious entrance lobby over several levels, housing retail, upscale dining and leisure facilities. Also there, in the already constructed southern tower, is a new bus terminal for intercity lines. Within the bases of both skyscrapers are various walkways, walkways and bridges that connect all modes of transportation crossing in CIBC Square, including Toronto's underground PATH pedestrian network, and provide pedestrian access to the waterfront.
[seele: Largest all-glass roof for Canada]
With the development of this campus, Toronto is opening up an area that will become a landmark project for the entire city through the successful combination of architecture, transport infrastructure and its location on the lake. For CIBC Square is not only conceived as an exceptional working environment, but also as a place of communication and community, as an experiential space and a place of recreation. This includes the sustainable and ecological concept of the now interconnected public transport as well as the sustainably planned architecture of the glass towers according to the international standards of LEED Platinum and WIRED & WELL Building.
Richard Johnson
Glass facade with highly efficient warm edge
Both 49- and 50-storey towers have a slightly folded glass facade all around. Integrated into the outer facade are diamond-shaped, backlit motifs, similar to a prism, which are regularly repeated at intervals of 10 storeys and contrast with the surrounding buildings due to their vertical scaling. In order to meet the high demands for excellent energy efficiency, reliable tightness and long-lasting stability of the structural glazing facade, the glass elements were equipped with the warm edge from the manufacturer H.B. Fuller | Kömmerling. This spacer system is characterised by its extraordinary gas-tightness and durability, even with extreme temperature differences. The basis for this is the special structure of the Warm Edge: it consists of only one sealant, which is applied fully automatically by robot and chemically bonds with both the glass surface and the silicone secondary sealant. As a result, the entire edge seal "fuses" into a flexible and resilient unit with the highest energy efficiency and maximum service life. At the same time, the precise application of the black sealant creates an incomparably clear appearance: the insulating glass units have no offset of the warm edge and offer an unobstructed view, as the black edge sealant means that no disturbing light reflections can occur in the space between the panes.
[Warm edge spacer system for structural glazing and XXL glass panes]
As part of the full-surface glass facades, the warm-edge system by H.B. Fuller | Kömmerling makes a decisive contribution to the energy-efficient and sustainable architecture of CIBC Square and demonstrates how innovative and environmentally friendly modern glass architecture can be realised.
