Distinctive design, shaped by the climate
707 Fifth – Manulife Place celebrates Calgary’s cosmopolitan atmosphere while efficiently addressing the demands of the Canadian prairie climate, characterized by cold and harsh winters tempered by warm Chinook winds and an above-average number of sunny days per year. These conditions informed the design of the tower, with a high-performance, triple-glazed exterior wall, a conditioned above-grade pedestrian bridge, and dynamic enclosed public spaces.
Clad in a sweeping glass curtain wall, the slender, elliptical, 27-story office tower is distinct from its neighbors. Two curved convex facades meet to form a concave surface along the building’s narrow eastern and western edges. The design creates a dramatic sense of verticality, with four cantilevered office corners and an aerodynamic building form that, along with a canopy entry, mitigates street-level wind. Within the building, slender columns distributed along the building’s perimeter allow for panoramic views of downtown and the Rocky Mountains. The broad canopy at street level shelters visitors from inclement weather.
The tower’s orientation and narrow, elongated shape open the site to establish new public plazas on the building’s north and east sides. A two-story winter garden brings the rolling Alberta prairie inside. Connected with the surrounding neighborhood and to the city, the building includes second-level retail and restaurants, a fitness center, and a conference center. An installation by Chicago-based artist duo Luftwerk, adjacent to the LRT station, enhances the northern public plaza.
