Claridge Icon, Residential skyscraper in Little Italy, Ottawa, Canada.
Claridge Icon is a 45-story residential skyscraper in Ottawa's Little Italy with curved balconies and a glass exterior. The complex includes ground floor retail space and two floors of commercial facilities alongside the residential units.
Announced in 2012 with a target opening of late 2016, the Claridge Icon was designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects and built by Claridge Homes. Construction began in 2015; in March 2016 a worker was killed by a 12-metre chunk of ice that fell from the side of the construction pit, causing a year-long delay. The developer and main contractor were each fined $325,000 in May 2019. Work halted again in March 2018 when a worker fell 3 metres from a platform and suffered a head injury. The tower topped out in 2019.
The building sits within a neighborhood known for dining establishments and cultural institutions that shape daily life. Its location places residents near local shops and gathering spaces that define the district's character.
The tower rises at the corner of Carling Avenue and Preston Street, so it is seen from the street and from the sidewalks of Little Italy; there is no observation deck. The site is served by public transit along Carling Avenue, and the surrounding blocks hold restaurants and shops within walking distance.
The asymmetrically arranged curved balconies create different visual patterns depending on the viewing angle and time of day. This optical movement makes the building particularly interesting to observe from various positions throughout the neighborhood.
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