Carina & Callisto

Vancouver B.C. ● Residential

Two elegant luxury towers consisting of 26 and 35 storeys respectively, Carina and Callisto rise above Vancouver’s most spectacular waterfront in the heart of the downtown. Inspired by the colors of the sea and the shape of a sail, Carina and Callisto boast panoramic views of the ocean, mountains, and Stanley Park, and are designed to create a soothing component to the dramatic natural world outdoors. Carina and Callisto’s exterior feature silver-blue glass curved in the shape of a sail, in contemporary West Coast design. To create the illusion of a sail, the architects designed the exterior glass to curve both horizontally and vertically, which imparted a unique space for every floor of the buildings. As a side effect of the curved facade, suites on the middle floors are wider than those at the top or bottom, requiring extra structural strengthening and a complex network of transfer beams.

The vertical support system consists of post-tension reinforced concrete slabs supported by reinforced concrete columns. Reinforced concrete shear walls were used to resist any lateral loads induced on thee building due to wind or earthquake. By thoroughly detailing the building’s reinforcing within the concrete, the design allows key elements of the structures to absorb potential forces.