Overcoming Poor Soil Conditions in Toronto to Build a New 4-Story Data Center

We provided full structural services for this new data center, prominently located in downtown Toronto. The building features four stories, a mechanical penthouse, and one basement level. This data processing facility housing computers for data storage and retrieval. The unique façade responds to both the building needs and the rich local context.

Through a warm and technologically advanced design interpretation, the terracotta rain screen façade, made up of a combination of ribbed, flat and “baguette” panels, pays homage to both the early pioneers of data management and the surrounding historic structures.

Poor soil conditions and the presence of a shallow water table necessitate the use of deep foundation “caissons” to support the heavily loaded structure.