New Central Library

“We have recently worked with Ferguson on projects including River Landing East Tower, River Landing North Tower, MacKimmie Tower, the New Calgary Central Library and Mount Royal University Riddell Library and Learning Centre. These projects all provided unique challenges which Ferguson supported the development of ideas and subsequent execution and were an integral part of each projects success. We had regular engagement with their engineering staff, project management team and field installation group throughout the phases of the projects which maintained continuity of design, budget and constructibility.”

“Stuart Olson Partnered with Ferguson Corporation through a unique design assist capacity to complete Calgary’s New Central Library’s curtain wall facade and skylight. Ferguson fully engineered, manufactured, assembled and installed the vertical curtain wall and skylight. The design assist process allowed us the quality of materials, budget and time to be managed in the way that the city of Calgary required for this iconic building.

This is where Ferguson’s team really came together with Stuart Olson’s and the design team to work through the complex structure and curtain wall as a whole. The structure was a curved steel/concrete hybrid that created individual and distinctive connection and parapet details. Due to the curvature of the structure, almost every connection detail was unique. Meaning that even though they had standardized most of the curtain wall panels, each connection was a different problem that required a different solution. That is where having a partner like Ferguson really pays off. For them, its in the details. What the execution of the library required was exactly that attention to detail.

In addition to the complex structure, the building was built above an active LRT (light rail transit) system. This meant that the building had to be built on either side of the train tracks, then connected with steel trusses in between. This created a instillation challenge for the curtain wall. We needed to push the curtain wall installation in sections without having the building complete. Typically, you would start at the bottom and build up, but we had to start on either side and build to the top, then infill the steel truss sections from bottom to up.

Another unique aspect was the use of BIM modeling to model every panel and connection. At the Library we used a total BIM project approach. Ferguson was integral to these design talks and coordination, which helped shape the the overall look and function of the Library’s end result. Their ability to see problems through the use of BIM before they become problems was essential in keeping the budget under control and site progressing.
Ferguson was a a critical part in delivering the complex New Central Library on time and under budget.”