Calgary’s wind-scooping crescent—an office tower that bends like it’s bracing for prairie weather.
1,700,000 sq ft office building in downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Featured in Foster + Partners's definitive monograph, Norman Foster: A Life in Architecture.
Visitor Guide
Enter the +15 level to see public art and the city’s indoor pedestrian network; don’t waste time trying to sneak upstairs—security is real.
From the plaza at 6 Avenue & Centre Street, late afternoon for the curved facade in raking light; for skyline, shoot from Crescent Heights at sunrise.
Public access is generally limited to ground and +15 concourse; upper floors/‘viewing’ areas typically require tenant access.
The curve isn’t just aesthetics—it reduces wind loads and creates a large, sheltered atrium-like ‘belly’ inside.
30–60 min
Design & Structure
Designed with performance-driven form: curved plan for structural efficiency and wind response; digital wind/structural simulation and BIM coordination for the megaframe and curtain wall.
Steel megastructure + high-performance glass; materiality is about transparency and long-span openness inside.
Mega-braced system and curved geometry work together to resist lateral loads—engineering as climate adaptation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed The Bow (skyscraper)?+
The Bow (skyscraper) was designed by Foster + Partners and completed in 2012. It is located in Alberta, Canada.
Where is The Bow (skyscraper) located?+
The Bow (skyscraper) is located in Alberta, Canada. Its coordinates are 51.0478°, -114.0622°.
When was The Bow (skyscraper) built?+
The Bow (skyscraper) was completed in 2012. It was designed by Foster + Partners.
Can I visit The Bow (skyscraper)?+
The Bow (skyscraper) is a real building in Alberta that can be viewed from the outside. Check local information for interior access and visiting hours. Use the Parametric Atlas walking tour feature to plan a route that includes this building.