One Bloor West

Supporting this ambitious architectural vision required an innovative structural solution. To maintain a column-free atrium, the steel-concrete hybrid tower’s lower levels include several diagonal mega-columns that transfer the immense gravity and lateral forces from the tower core into the perimeter framing. The unique structural configuration created geometrically complex nodal regions where multiple framing members intersected. These critical nodal connections were subjected to significant multiaxial force demands and triaxial stress states.  

To resolve the geometry and loading requirements, conventional construction methods using steel or concrete were evaluated but found not to be viable. To address these challenges, the project team selected CAST CONNEX High Integrity Blocks (HIBs) as the central kernels of the critical nodes. By incorporating these cast-forged blocks, which exhibit adequate and consistent mechanical properties through the thickness and in all directions, the steel fabricator was able to build nodes that efficiently and effectively transferred the loads, while the design team achieved a robust and constructable solution that supported the architectural goals.  

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