Studio Daniel Libeskind celebrated the “Topping Off” ceremony for Toronto’s “L Tower” with aerial acrobatics dancing across the North face of the structure. The 58-storey skyscraper, located at the intersection of Yonge Street and The Esplanade, is part of the redevelopment of the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts. It was designed to be an architectural transition between the towers of the financial district to the west and the historic residential St. Lawrence neighborhood to the east. A 5000 square-feet public plaza along the redevelopment’s west side will serve as an additional public space for the theater, L Tower residents and the downtown community.
Architect: Studio Daniel Libeskind
Architect of Record: Page + Steel / IBA Architects
Location: Toronto, Canada
Client: Castlepoint Realty Partners Limited
Structural Engineer: Jablonsky, Ast and partners
MEP Engineer: Smith and Andersen Consulting Engineers
Landscape Architect: Claude Cormier Architectes Paysagistes
Heritage Consultant: ERA
Contractor: Dominus Construction Group
Building Area: 503,621 sqft
Floors: 58
Structure: Concrete structure with glass curtain wall and window wall cladding.
Scheduled Completion: 2013
Daniel Libeskind stated: “My goal was to create an iconic building within Toronto’s dramatic skyline. The L Tower is shaped by the unusual quality of the light and by the general atmosphere of the site. Together with the Sony Center, it signals an exciting new sense of place in a diverse and vibrant urban context.”
The 593 unit, high-end residential tower includes a “24-hour concierge, spa facilities, a private cinema, a lounge, a library and catering kitchens for residents and their guests are among the building’s other signature amenities.”
With the its entire skeletal structure and half of its glass-and-steel facade complete, the L-shaped skyscraper will be completed as planned in 2013.