How this supertall skyscraper will transform Toronto’s already iconic skyline
The unique building demands of such a tall residential highrise will pave the way for future developments
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New York has One World Trade Center, Dubai has the Burj Khalifa and Shanghai has its eponymous tower. Now Toronto awaits the arrival of its very own supertall skyscraper—a first not only for the city, but for Canada. One of fewer than 200 buildings in the world that meet the supertall criterion of being at least 300 metres, The One will soar 338 metres into the sky, creating a new focal point for the city’s skyline.
The building is the brainchild of Sam Mizrahi, founder and president of Mizrahi Developments, who says it’s poised to change the landscape of the city—and the country. “We wanted to create a road map that all future supertall buildings in Canada could follow.”
Here’s what it takes to construct such an extraordinary highrise—on track to become the 21st-tallest building in the world, rising 40 metres taller than any other building in Canada.
Development design
Building a supertall skyscraper demands unique considerations and meticulous attention to detail, right from the design stage. This ensures the building is developed with built-in solutions for any potential issues, such as the effects of wind, temperature and weather on such an incredibly tall structure.
Mizrahi enlisted the architects at Foster + Partners to help bring his vision for The One to life. “A key element is their understanding of old and new,” says Mizrahi, “and being able to create identifiable buildings that really express, and make visible, the city’s identity.”
Together, the team created an inside-out approach to The One’s design, employing a hybrid exoskeleton of bronze trusses, which puts the structural support on the building’s exterior, allowing for light-flooded interiors where the city can be seen from above the clouds.
The central elevator core will also be unique, appearing to float above the ground-floor retail space. Twenty-one cars will carry passengers up the tower at speeds of up to 12.5 metres per second.
Structural strength
Conceptualizing an architecturally impressive supertall skyscraper like The One is one feat; ensuring it’s strong enough to withstand all types of weather, and the demands of its own 85 storeys, is another.
These critical considerations were taken into account at every level of The One’s construction, from its 41-metre-deep foundation to the top floor. The Foster + Partners team also built 3D models throughout the design process to repeatedly test the visual and structural integrity of their plans.
“Every detail of the cladding, the window systems, and the strength of the concrete and steel is at a level never seen in Canada before,” Mizrahi says, noting that even the six-millimetre-thick glass exceeds the standard four millimetres to prevent distortion. “It’s Canadian engineering at its best.”
“We wanted to create a roadmap that all future supertall buildings in Canada could follow”
Sam Mizrahi
Movement mitigation
By virtue of their astonishing height, supertall skyscrapers can be vulnerable to the elements—most notably wind.
To dramatically reduce lateral movement, The One is equipped with a tuned mass damper (TMD), which is a vibration absorber installed at the top of the building that minimizes wind-induced movement. “It’s been tested many times to ensure residents have no sense of the slight sway on windy days,” Mizrahi says. “The design of The One actually decelerates wind as it moves along the building.”
The mega-columns along The One’s exterior, combined with its central core, also create a significant level of stiffness, so during an extreme wind event, and in conjunction with the TMD, the top floors might sway only slightly. The result, Mizrahi says, is that “living above the clouds will feel the same as it would on the ground floor”.
Chapter One
Elevated downtown living from extraordinary new heights
Chapter Two
How this supertall skyscraper will transform Toronto’s already iconic skyline
Chapter Three
A cutting-edge approach to residential wellness is happening in Toronto