Terri Meyer Boake B.E.S. B.Arch. M.Arch.
Associate Professor School of Architecture University of Waterloo

Case Studies in Canadian Sustainable Design:
Image Gallery:

Telus Building Busby + Associates Vancouver, British Columbia

About the building:

The William Farrell Project was conceived in 1998 by Telus to satisfy a number of internal business needs and in so doing revitalize an existing resource in a high profile location to create a strong Telus presence in downtown Vancouver.

The project scope included extensive interior and exterior renovations to the 1940s Robson Street section of the building "to rehabilitate both the built form and internal occupancies of approximately 127,000 sq.ft. existing office and equipment space into office, retail/commercial and presentation space”.

Telus mandated that the existing building be recycled and re-used, and that green strategies be incorporated.

The consultant team fulfilled the company's Project Objectives with an innovative solution. Overall results are: the building has been recycled; energy, resources and landfill have been saved; and Telus has a sophisticated, elegant domicile from which to conduct its downtown business.

The exterior revitalization is both futuristic and technically advanced - an open, layered and sophisticated new 'skin' envelopes the old building shell. A new double glazed, fritted and frameless glazing system with operable windows is suspended from the existing building face, providing opportunities for a sophisticated natural ventilation system.

The new exterior cladding thus creates the first triple-skinned green building solution in Canada and the company's mandate to "reuse, re-cycle, and go green" establishes Telus as a leader in the community working towards environmental sustainability.

Information taken from http://www.busby.ca/projects.htm

for more information see the Advanced Buildings Website and check the case studies list

http://www.advancedbuildings.org/_frames/fr_cs_gog.htm

View of the top half of the building. The existing masonry structure can be seen underneath.	Detail of the facade on a cloudy day. You can see the operable windows and light through the existing facade windows behind.
Close up detail of operable windows at base of building..	Detail of side of double facade extension to the front face of the building (around 1.5 m).
Underside of double facade showing the base vent grilles open.	Same view with the grilles closed. They are closed in the morning during heavy traffic hours and when fresh air is not wanted from this source.
Interior sun shade used in part as a light shelf.	Oblique view into the cavity of the double facade extension. Note variations in the glazing (some clear some fritted) and the attachments for the operable window panels.
Unoccupied interior, late afternoon November sun. Note deep sun penetration into the space.	Unoccupied interior, late afternoon November sun.

The images on this site have been taken for use in my teaching. They may be copied for educational purposes. Please give credit. These images may not be reproduced commercially without written consent.

last updated July 10, 2003