If asked what is Canada’s iconic landmark, anyone who closes their eyes will answer the CN Tower. But most people may not know why CN Tower was built. It’s quite a funny story. Canada never wanted to claim the world’s tallest tower or building. After World War II, Canada continued to prosper. Huge construction sacrifices started all over the country. Subways (metro), highways, high-rise buildings give the cities of Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver a special status in the world. Rail transport gained great popularity to connect the vast Canada to freight transport.
During this time CN Rail or the Canadian National Rail Department adopted a plan to improve the signal system to make train movement safer across the country. Following this, in the mid-sixties, CN Rail proposed to the government to build a huge signal tower in the Union Station area. Canada Lands Company then owned this land. The proposal for construction of CN tower was accepted under their ownership. Architect was selected in 1968. A firm called WZMH Architects was entrusted with the architectural design.
With a height of 553 meters or 1815 feet, the CN Tower defines the highest point of Toronto’s skyline. Like Eiffel Tower in France, Big Ben Clock Tower in England or Sydney Opera House in Australia, CN Tower represents Canada. Until 2007 it was the tallest free standing structure in the world. It is a tower with a height of 147 floors according to the calculation of floors. The CN Tower is now the ninth tallest free-standing structure in the Middle East and China, including Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.
However, the status of the establishment is not determined by the height. Either with the state’s cultural norms, history and traditions. Eiffel Tower or Statue of Liberty is his proof. Although above all towers, the CN Tower is famous for its construction method. The construction of CN Tower was completed after a very complicated process and more than two years. It took even longer to prepare its complex engineering design. From 1968 to 1973 only different designs were produced.
Although not complicated in architectural design, robust logarithms have been used in the preparation of engineering designs (structural drawings) of single free standing heights.
At that time there was no opportunity to use software for complex calculations. Determining the holding capacity of the soil was difficult. However, foundation engineer Prof. Eli Robinsky collected samples deep into the soil and broke through the ‘shell’ to determine the 130,000 ton load-bearing foundation of the tower. Structural engineer Dr. Franz Kroll and R.R. Nicollet calculated all kinds of loads including the total weight of concrete, earthquake magnitude, wind pressure, etc. to determine its structure.
Architects John Andrews and Roger Du Toit designed the construction of the CN Tower without any changes. But even more difficult than architects and engineers, contract manufacturers have to do. Because it is a big challenge to reach construction materials to such a high tower. The Swedish construction company Skanska completed its construction through their Canadian subsidiary ‘Canada Cement Company’. In construction, helicopter cranes are used to lift construction materials.
Construction began on February 6, 1973. It takes about 40 months to complete. However, it was opened for use on October 1, 1976. The construction cost was only 63 million dollars. It seems like a luxury project of that time in today’s market. It was the tallest revolving restaurant in the world for a long time. Located on the 144th floor deck, the restaurant rotates on its full axis i.e. 360 degrees once every 72 minutes. The skypod above it was once the world’s tallest standing platform.
The daring adventurer dares to jump from the skypod with a parachute. Thousands of people stood and watched them play. The tower is currently used by all major broadcast media (non-satellite), AM, FM, DAB radio and other wireless service organizations. And fifteen lakh tourists come here every year crossing the ocean. As a bonus, the opportunity to dine at 360 The Restaurant at the CN Tower.
