Image credit: Doublespace Photography
Superkül has completed a comprehensive renovation of the CN Tower’s Lower Observation Level in Toronto. The project marks the first major update to the space since the Tower opened in 1976, and includes a reconfigured interior and exterior visitor experience and an expanded usable floor area within the structure’s original footprint.
Image credit: Doublespace Photography
Image credit: Doublespace Photography
The renovation was developed following a 2021 design-build competition win by a multidisciplinary team led by Boszko & Verity. The design draws on biophilic references to the Canadian landscape, including arboreal forms, geological textures, and water-like reflectivity, while responding to the Tower’s radial structural geometry.
Image credit: Doublespace Photography
Image credit: Doublespace Photography
Key interventions include the replacement of the original vertical glazing and glass floor, the introduction of new sloped structural glass around the perimeter, and the removal of the exterior steel cage that previously enclosed the outdoor terrace. Two new “Tilt Zones” allow visitors to lean outward over the city, while angled glass now encloses the exterior observation area.
Image credit: Doublespace Photography
Image credit: Doublespace Photography
A custom-engineered perimeter enclosure system was developed to accommodate structural movement caused by wind-induced sway and floor oscillation. Construction required the installation of a four-storey permanent maintenance gantry, hoisted into place from ground level.
Image credit: Doublespace Photography
Image credit: Mike Davidson
Similar articles on Archinect that may interest you…