Shell Centre, Modern office skyscraper in downtown Calgary, Canada
Shell Centre is a modern office tower in downtown Calgary that rises 140 meters across 33 floors with a distinctive figure-eight footprint. Its Italian granite exterior is polished and light-colored, and the unusual shape creates abundant corner office space throughout the building.
Construction started in 1975 when Olympia and York Developments built the tower on the site of the former Caravan Hotel. The completion brought a new generation of sophisticated corporate architecture to Calgary's downtown district.
The tower stands out in downtown Calgary with its distinctive figure-eight footprint and polished granite facade that catches the light. It marked a shift in how the city built corporate offices, moving away from plain towers toward more refined designs using premium materials.
The structure includes two underground parking levels accommodating 86 vehicles and features 15 elevators for moving between floors. The lobby is positioned below street level and accessed through supportive pillars at ground level.
The building was constructed using substantial quantities of concrete and steel, with the figure-eight shape presenting unique engineering challenges during construction. This type of footprint was uncommon for office towers in North America at the time.
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