Alberni by Kengo Kuma is a 43-storey residential tower redefining Vancouver’s skyline awarded LEED Gold certification. The tower’s distinctive form sculpted by two dramatic diagonal cuts — creates dynamic, ever-changing profiles that challenge the orthogonal norm. These carefully carved “scoops” not only create striking visual effects with arching cantilevers and shifting silhouettes but reflect a deeper structural logic: a precisely balanced interplay of symmetrical deductions that achieve both expressive design and engineering efficiency.
Residences are characterized by deep, wood-lined balconies that carve a unique identity for each unit, enhancing natural ventilation and strengthening the building’s connection to its surroundings. The exterior is a study in material refinement, with glass and aluminum façades complemented by warm timber details within the recessed balconies, offering residents moments of retreat and connection to nature.
The lateral force resisting system (LFRS) features two centrally located reinforced concrete C-shaped walls coupled with steel-reinforced concrete (SRC) coupling beams. Vertical post-tensioned tendons reinforce the core, working in tandem with post-tensioned diaphragms and sloping columns that generate the building’s curving façade. This geometry introduces high levels of Gravity-Induced Lateral Demand Irregularity (GILD), exceeding the National Building Code of Canada limits near the building’s mid-height. To navigate these challenges, the design team employed advanced Nonlinear Response History Analysis (NLRHA), using a suite of ground motions tailored to the seismicity of southwest BC. These analyses, complemented by diaphragm deformation modelling and staged construction simulations, informed design decisions to control leaning deflection, residual seismic displacement, and service-level cracking under wind and seismic events — ensuring the structure meets the rigorous reliability thresholds of NBCC 2020 and ASCE 7-22.