Calgary's
New Central Library
Home
Vision
Design
Constructability
Team
Accolades
Entuitive's Role
Structural Engineering Consultant
Partners
Snøhetta (Design Architect),
DIALOG (Executive Architect)
Client
Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC), Calgary Public Library, and The City of Calgary
Size
278,000 ft²
Budget
$245 M
Completed in 2019, Calgary’s New Central Library places a strong emphasis on creating community-oriented spaces through design and is an integral part of a burgeoning cultural campus in downtown’s East Village.
How do you create Calgary's most significant new building in 25 years?
The vision was to build a civic landmark with an anticipated high level of community engagement. The challenge was to build it over an existing LRT line that bisects the site on a radius, with minimal disruption to its operation.
It is the first time in Calgary’s history that an active LRT line has been encased to enable an above-grade development project. Until now, this parcel of land immediately adjacent to City Hall had been considered an unusable hole in the ground.
16,000 Calgarians contributed inputs towards the bold vision for this building. It was clear that a collaborative approach fusing engineers, architects, city planners, and library staff was fundamental in solving sich a complex problem.
Early on, Entuitive demonstrated that the LRT encapsulation could also be used as the Library’s foundation, meaning the cost of encapsulation would be significantly ofset by the base-building construction budget. Entuitive’s feasibility assessment was able to show that for the first time in the city’s history, it could build over the tracks without significant disruptions to the transit schedule.
Ultimately, the project was completed on time and under budget.
6.4 million annual visits.
500,000 visits in the first 100 days of opening
670,00 active members.
Overbuild increased the total size of the library by two-thirds.
6.4 M
2/3
670,00
500,000
Design
Entuitive developed a transfer system that created the opportunity for a contiguous floor plate above the LRT line, with a regular grid system that maximizes future flexibility. This forms the basis for the encapsulation, a new concrete structure that clear spans approximately 12 metres.
Steel trusses were brought in to allow for the architect’s column-free vision in the main entrance, enabling the building to take its distinctive shape.
Within the heart of the building, an oculus with a steel framed skylight allows natural light to permeate through the soaring four-storey atrium, which includes three massive steel-framed cantilevered staircases.
A truss on the north end of the building cantilevers out over the LRT tracks and features a café that provides a unique view of the trains exiting from the tunnel underneath.
The entrance and vast wooden walkways were conceived using 3D modelling and structural analysis software. Entuitive’s custom technology integrations were critical in engaging the entire stakeholder team throughout the phases of design and construction. We realized accelerated design solutions by leveraging multiple platforms, including Rhino 3D and Grasshopper for parametric studies, and Tekla during the conceptual design.
Cost, constructability, and aesthetics drove the building framing. A truly hybrid concrete and structural steel building was chosen as the optimal materiality for the library. Creating an inviting grand entrance to the library atop the LRT line required large, column-free spans, which were achieved with several large trusses. The largest mega-trusses were curved and sloped in elevation, spanning the encapsulation to create an inviting and grand front entrance.
We used a high-level of slag in the concrete. This meant we had a high percentage of recycled content in the mix, greatly reducing embodied carbon emissions for cement manufacturing.
The project optimizes human comfort with radiant heating and cooling (with hot water coming from the District Energy building two blocks away) while minimizing the need to condition outdoor air thanks to a dedicated outdoor air system (DAS). The system supplies outdoor air to the space at a low level and low velocity, known as displacement ventilation, which efficiently removes unwanted heat and contaminants as the supplied air rises through the space.
The nodes of the 55-metre truss consist of five piles of 100-mm-thick plate. The largest node weighs the same as some battle tanks at 12 metric tonnes. The two diagonal web members, which support the largest compression forces of 33 and 38.5 meganewtons, comprise four piles of 100-mm solid plate. These were welded using partial joint penetration welding along the edges in the shop, requiring high pre-heating and careful post-heating to minimize potential weld-induced stress concentrations and indicators. The site welding required for connecting the truss web members to the largest node took approximately 150 man hours to complete over multiple days, with induction heaters running 24 hours a day.
The library’s entryway is designed to resemble a Chinook arch cloud formation. The three-storey, 18-metre-tall trusses feature architecturally exposed web members, with the largest members comprising four built-up piles of 4” thick plate. The largest truss spans 55 metres, is curved, and supports another truss spanning 30 metres.
The library sits over Calgary’s busiest light rail transit (LRT) line. This presented many unique structural challenges. The curved shape of the LRT line helped achieve the library’s distinctive shape by mirroring the curve along its longitudinal axis. Cost-effective structural solutions involving long-span floor framing and long-span, mega-trusses provided large, column-free spaces at the main entrance and oculus.
Each truss was too long, too tall, and too heavy to ship as one piece. As such, each piece was individually shipped and erected 10 metres above grade and temporarily braced back to the concrete cores that were advanced first. A temporary bracing system was used to stabilize each truss as additional floors were cast. Welded in shop along the long edges in partial joint penetration, the truss pieces required careful pre- and post-heating to minimize potential weld-induced stress and steel cracking. Two-end dialog b members support the largest compression forces of 33 and 38.5 meganewtons.
Learn more about the role of steel with Ian Washbrook
Entuitive brings together a high caliber group of professionals with a new attitude. Our core values of being creative, collaborative, and advanced are rooted in our One Company culture. By combining our creative, disciplined imagination with our technical knowledge, we utilized the latest technologies to solve complex engineering challenges, collaborating with all stakeholders along the way. Bringing the New Central Library to fruition exemplified the Entuitive Mindset. Accounting for multiple perspectives, believing in a better solution, and a commitment to the vision guided us on the path to seeing this incredible community hub come to life.
Meet the Team
Libraries of the Future and of the World’s 12 Most Anticipated Buildings of 2018, Architectural Digest
2019 AIA/ALA Library Building Award from the American Institute of Architects
2019 Building Communities Award from the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction
Award of Merit from Canadian Architect
2017 Great City, Great Design Award from the Mayor’s Urban Design Awards
2019 Merit Award for Wayfinding from the SEGD Global Design Awards
2019 Time Magazine's Worlds Greatest Places
Accolades
A truly creative feat of engineering
- Naheed Nenshi, Mayor of Calgary
"
"
Calgary's
New Central Library
Imagination Realized
16,000 Calgarians contributed inputs towards the bold vision for this building. It was clear that a collaborative approach fusing engineers, architects, city planners, and library staff was fundamental in solving sich a complex problem.
Location: Calgary, Canada
Role: Structural Engineering Consultant
Partners: Snøhetta (Design Architect), DIALOG (Executive Architect)
Client: Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC), Calgary Public Library, and The City of Calgary
Size: 278,000 ft²
Budget: $245 M
For the Community by the Community
Completed in 2019, Calgary’s New Central Library places a strong emphasis on creating community-oriented spaces through design and is an integral part of a burgeoning cultural campus in downtown’s East Village.
Vision
How do you create Calgary's most significant new building in 25 years?
The vision was to build a civic landmark with an anticipated high level of community engagement. The challenge was to build it over an existing LRT line that bisects the site on a radius, with minimal disruption to its operation.
It is the first time in Calgary’s history that an active LRT line has been encased to enable an above-grade development project. Until now, this parcel of land immediately adjacent to City Hall had been considered an unusable hole in the ground.
Performance in Many Forms
Early on, Entuitive demonstrated that the LRT encapsulation could also be used as the Library’s foundation, meaning the cost of encapsulation would be significantly ofset by the base-building construction budget. Entuitive’s feasibility assessment was able to show that for the first time in the city’s history, it could build over the tracks without significant disruptions to the transit schedule.
Ultimately, the project was completed on time and under budget.
6.4 million annual visits.
500,000 visits in the first 100 days of opening
670,00 active members.
Overbuild increased the total size of the library by two-thirds.
6.4 M
2/3
670,00
500,000
With striking architectural design, the New Central Library one of the most significant and distinctive structures in Alberta.
Expertise Applied in a Different Context
Design
Entuitive developed a transfer system that created the opportunity for a contiguous floor plate above the LRT line, with a regular grid system that maximizes future flexibility. This forms the basis for the encapsulation, a new concrete structure that clear spans approximately 12 metres.
Steel trusses were brought in to allow for the architect’s column-free vision in the main entrance, enabling the building to take its distinctive shape. Within the heart of the building, an oculus with a steel framed skylight allows natural light to permeate through the soaring four-storey atrium, which includes three massive steel-framed cantilevered staircases.
A truss on the north end of the building cantilevers out over the LRT tracks and features a café that provides a unique view of the trains exiting from the tunnel underneath.
Fact
The truss design can bear the load of a building five times its height (or 450,00 books).
The entrance and vast wooden walkways were conceived using 3D modelling and structural analysis software. Entuitive’s custom technology integrations were critical in engaging the entire stakeholder team throughout the phases of design and construction. We realized accelerated design solutions by leveraging multiple platforms, including Rhino 3D and Grasshopper for parametric studies, and Tekla during the conceptual design.
Technology
The library design puts a strong emphasis on public accessibility and community-oriented spaces, with 80% of the building allocated to public space. The library is proving to be a true community hub.
Cost, constructability, and aesthetics drove the building framing. A truly hybrid concrete and structural steel building was chosen as the optimal materiality for the library. Creating an inviting grand entrance to the library atop the LRT line required large, column-free spans, which were achieved with several large trusses. The largest mega-trusses were curved and sloped in elevation, spanning the encapsulation to create an inviting and grand front entrance.
Constructability
The library sits over Calgary’s busiest light rail transit (LRT) line. This presented many unique structural challenges. The curved shape of the LRT line helped achieve the library’s distinctive shape by mirroring the curve along its longitudinal axis. Cost-effective structural solutions involving long-span floor framing and long-span, mega-trusses provided large, column-free spaces at the main entrance and oculus.
The library’s entryway is designed to resemble a Chinook arch cloud formation. The three-storey, 18-metre-tall trusses feature architecturally exposed web members, with the largest members comprising four built-up piles of 4” thick plate. The largest truss spans 55 metres, is curved, and supports another truss spanning 30 metres.
The nodes of the 55 metre truss consist of five piles of 100-mm-thick plate. The largest node weighs the same as some battle tanks at 12 metric tonnes. The two diagonal web members, which support the largest compression forces of 33 and 38.5 meganewtons, comprise four piles of 100-mm solid plate. These were welded using partial joint penetration welding along the edges in the shop, requiring high pre-heating and careful post-heating to minimize potential weld-induced stress concentrations and indicators. The site welding required for connecting the truss web members to the largest node took approximately 150 man hours to complete over multiple days, with induction heaters running 24 hours a day.
We used a high-level of slag in the concrete. This meant we had a high percentage of recycled content in the mix, greatly reducing embodied carbon emissions for cement manufacturing.
The project optimizes human comfort with radiant heating and cooling (with hot water coming from the District Energy building two blocks away) while minimizing the need to condition outdoor air thanks to a dedicated outdoor air system (DAS). The system supplies outdoor air to the space at a low level and low velocity, known as displacement ventilation, which efficiently removes unwanted heat and contaminants as the supplied air rises through the space.
Each truss was too long, too tall, and too heavy to ship as one piece. As such, each piece was individually shipped and erected 10 metres above grade and temporarily braced back to the concrete cores that were advanced first. A temporary bracing system was used to stabilize each truss as additional floors were cast. Welded in shop along the long edges in partial joint penetration, the truss pieces required careful pre- and post-heating to minimize potential weld-induced stress and steel cracking. Two-end dialog b members support the largest compression forces of 33 and 38.5 meganewtons.
They took all the liabilities and turned them into an opportunity
"
"
– Druh Farrell, City of Calgary
Learn more about the role of steel with Ian Washbrook
Entuitive brings together a high caliber group of professionals with a new attitude. Our core values of being creative, collaborative, and advanced are rooted in our One Company culture. By combining our creative, disciplined imagination with our technical knowledge, we utilized the latest technologies to solve complex engineering challenges, collaborating with all stakeholders along the way. Bringing the New Central Library to fruition exemplified the Entuitive Mindset. Accounting for multiple perspectives, believing in a better solution, and a commitment to the vision guided us on the path to seeing this incredible community hub come to life.
Meet The Team
P.Eng. LEEED A.P
Managing Director
Brock Schroeder
P.Eng.
Senior Associate
Chongsong Yu
P.Eng.
Senior Associate
Ian Washbrook
C.Tech.
Associate
Blaine Jansen
P.Eng.
Associate
Fredo Simvo
Contract Administrator
Aaron Clarke
Libraries of the Future and of the World’s 12 Most Anticipated Buildings of 2018 – Architectural Digest
2019 AIA/ALA Library Building Award from the American Institute of Architects
2019 Building Communities Award from the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction
Award of Merit from Canadian Architect
2017 Great City, Great Design Award from the Mayor’s Urban Design Awards
2019 Merit Award for Wayfinding from the SEGD Global Design Awards
Accolades
Learn more about the construction process!
A truly creative feat of engineering
- Naheed Nenshi, Mayor of Calgary
"
"
Calgary's
New Central Library
Location: Calgary, Canada
Role: Structural Engineering Consultant
Partners: Snøhetta (Design Architect), DIALOG (Executive Architect)
Client: Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC), Calgary Public Library, and The City of Calgary
Size: 278,000 ft²
Budget: $245 M
For the Community by the Community
Completed in 2019, Calgary’s New Central Library places a strong emphasis on creating community-oriented spaces through design and is an integral part of a burgeoning cultural campus in downtown’s East Village.
Vision
16,000 Calgarians contributed inputs towards the bold vision for this building. It was clear that a collaborative approach fusing engineers, architects, city planners, and library staff was fundamental in solving sich a complex problem.
Imagination Realized
How do you create Calgary's most significant new building in 25 years?
The vision was to build a civic landmark with an anticipated high level of community engagement. The challenge was to build it over an existing LRT line that bisects the site on a radius, with minimal disruption to its operation.
It is the first time in Calgary’s history that an active LRT line has been encased to enable an above-grade development project. Until now, this parcel of land immediately adjacent to City Hall had been considered an unusable hole in the ground.
Performance in Many Forms
Early on, Entuitive demonstrated that the LRT encapsulation could also be used as the Library’s foundation, meaning the cost of encapsulation would be significantly ofset by the base-building construction budget. Entuitive’s feasibility assessment was able to show that for the first time in the city’s history, it could build over the tracks without significant disruptions to the transit schedule.
Ultimately, the project was completed on time and under budget.
6.4 million annual visits.
500,000 visits in the first 100 days of opening
670,00 active members.
Overbuild increased the total size of the library by two-thirds.
6.4 M
2/3
670,00
500,000
With striking architectural design, the New Central Library one of the most significant and distinctive structures in Alberta.
Expertise Applied in a Different Context
Design
Entuitive developed a transfer system that created the opportunity for a contiguous floor plate above the LRT line, with a regular grid system that maximizes future flexibility. This forms the basis for the encapsulation, a new concrete structure that clear spans approximately 12 metres.
Steel trusses were brought in to allow for the architect’s column-free vision in the main entrance, enabling the building to take its distinctive shape. Within the heart of the building, an oculus with a steel framed skylight allows natural light to permeate through the soaring four-storey atrium, which includes three massive steel-framed cantilevered staircases.
A truss on the north end of the building cantilevers out over the LRT tracks and features a café that provides a unique view of the trains exiting from the tunnel underneath.
Fact
The truss design can bear the load of a building five times its height (or 450,00 books).
The library design puts a strong emphasis on public accessibility and community-oriented spaces, with 80% of the building allocated to public space. The library is proving to be a true community hub.
The entrance and vast wooden walkways were conceived using 3D modelling and structural analysis software. Entuitive’s custom technology integrations were critical in engaging the entire stakeholder team throughout the phases of design and construction. We realized accelerated design solutions by leveraging multiple platforms, including Rhino 3D and Grasshopper for parametric studies, and Tekla during the conceptual design.
Technology
Cost, constructability, and aesthetics drove the building framing. A truly hybrid concrete and structural steel building was chosen as the optimal materiality for the library. Creating an inviting grand entrance to the library atop the LRT line required large, column-free spans, which were achieved with several large trusses. The largest mega-trusses were curved and sloped in elevation, spanning the encapsulation to create an inviting and grand front entrance.
Constructability
Learn more about the construction process!
The library sits over Calgary’s busiest light rail transit (LRT) line. This presented many unique structural challenges. The curved shape of the LRT line helped achieve the library’s distinctive shape by mirroring the curve along its longitudinal axis. Cost-effective structural solutions involving long-span floor framing and long-span, mega-trusses provided large, column-free spaces at the main entrance and oculus.
The library’s entryway is designed to resemble a Chinook arch cloud formation. The three-storey, 18-metre-tall trusses feature architecturally exposed web members, with the largest members comprising four built-up piles of 4” thick plate. The largest truss spans 55 metres, is curved, and supports another truss spanning 30 metres.
The nodes of the 55 metre truss consist of five piles of 100-mm-thick plate. The largest node weighs the same as some battle tanks at 12 metric tonnes. The two diagonal web members, which support the largest compression forces of 33 and 38.5 meganewtons, comprise four piles of 100-mm solid plate. These were welded using partial joint penetration welding along the edges in the shop, requiring high pre-heating and careful post-heating to minimize potential weld-induced stress concentrations and indicators. The site welding required for connecting the truss web members to the largest node took approximately 150 man hours to complete over multiple days, with induction heaters running 24 hours a day.
We used a high-level of slag in the concrete. This meant we had a high percentage of recycled content in the mix, greatly reducing embodied carbon emissions for cement manufacturing.
The project optimizes human comfort with radiant heating and cooling (with hot water coming from the District Energy building two blocks away) while minimizing the need to condition outdoor air thanks to a dedicated outdoor air system (DAS). The system supplies outdoor air to the space at a low level and low velocity, known as displacement ventilation, which efficiently removes unwanted heat and contaminants as the supplied air rises through the space.
Each truss was too long, too tall, and too heavy to ship as one piece. As such, each piece was individually shipped and erected 10 metres above grade and temporarily braced back to the concrete cores that were advanced first. A temporary bracing system was used to stabilize each truss as additional floors were cast. Welded in shop along the long edges in partial joint penetration, the truss pieces required careful pre- and post-heating to minimize potential weld-induced stress and steel cracking. Two-end dialog b members support the largest compression forces of 33 and 38.5 meganewtons.
They took all the liabilities and turned them into an opportunity
"
"
– Druh Farrell, City of Calgary
Learn more about the role of steel with Ian Washbrook
Entuitive brings together a high caliber group of professionals with a new attitude. Our core values of being creative, collaborative, and advanced are rooted in our One Company culture. By combining our creative, disciplined imagination with our technical knowledge, we utilized the latest technologies to solve complex engineering challenges, collaborating with all stakeholders along the way. Bringing the New Central Library to fruition exemplified the Entuitive Mindset. Accounting for multiple perspectives, believing in a better solution, and a commitment to the vision guided us on the path to seeing this incredible community hub come to life.
Meet The Team
Accolades
Libraries of the Future and of the World’s 12 Most Anticipated Buildings of 2018 – Architectural Digest
2019 AIA/ALA Library Building Award from the American Institute of Architects
2019 Building Communities Award from the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction
Award of Merit from Canadian Architect
2017 Great City, Great Design Award from the Mayor’s Urban Design Awards
2019 Merit Award for Wayfinding from the SEGD Global Design Awards
P.Eng. LEEED A.P
Managing Director
Brock Schroeder
P.Eng.
Senior Associate
Chongsong Yu
P.Eng.
Senior Associate
Ian Washbrook
C.Tech.
Associate
Blaine Jansen
P.Eng.
Associate
Fredo Simvo
Contract Administrator
Aaron Clarke
Learn more about the construction process!
- Naheed Nenshi, Mayor of Calgary
"A truly creative feat of engineering"
Home
Team
Design
Accolades
Constructability
Vision
Expertise Applied in a Different Context
With striking architectural design, the New Central Library is one of the most significant and distinctive structures in Alberta.
The truss design can bear the load of a building
five times its height (or 450,00 books).
The library design puts a strong emphasis on public accessibility and community-oriented spaces, with 80% of the building allocated to public space. The library is proving to be a true community hub.
Constructability
Technology
Performance in Many Forms
Imagination Realized
For the Community By the Community
- Druh Farrell, City of Calgary
"They took all the liabilities
and turned them into an opportunity."
P.Eng., LEED AP
Managing Director
P.Eng.
Senior Associate
P.Eng.
Senior Associate
P.Eng.
Associate
C.Tech.
Associate
Brock Schroeder
Chongsong Yu
Ian Washbrook
Ferdo Simov
Blaine Jansen
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Design
Constructability
Accolades
Team
