An aesthetic steel-glass structure created by facade specialist seele at the project TEC bridge in Toronto, Canada.

TEC Bridge, Toronto, Canada

300sqm

dot printed laminated glass

120sqm

white laminated glass

70m

stainless steel hand rails

190

commercial bronze plates with milled ornaments

TEC bridge toronto: a link between modern and historic steel glass design

The TEC Bridge, which is an encased pedestrian bridge of ca. 35m in length, was built in the center of the city of Toronto, Canada. It is integrated in a bridge system within the city to offer pedestrians weather protection and shorter distances. The bridge crosses the Queen Street West at the height of the 2nd floor and connects the Hudson‘s Bay Shopping Mall and the Toronto Eaton Centre (TEC), two of the city’s biggest shopping and office complexes. In the draft of Wilkinson Eyre Architects the materials commercial bronze and glass are interlocked. At the side of the historic  Hudson Bay building the initially twisted commercial bronze portal frames change into a formally austere glass optic and blend in with the modern architecture of the TEC building. Thus an optically fluent transition of the two buildings is created.

  • seele‘s service included the design, the production and installation of different laminated glass panes as well as commercial bronze plates, hand rails, stainless steel grids and the steel construction. First circular ornaments were milled into the commercial bronze plates. Thereafter the plates were treated in an acid bath to adapt the bronze patina. The commercial bronze plates were placed onto the steel portal frame on site in Toronto. Because of the sophisticated shape of the steel-glass construction each commercial bronze plate is unique in its geometry as well as the carving. 

    seele was also responsible for the removal of the old bridge and the installation of the new TEC Bridge. The pre-assembly of the TEC Bridge in Toronto was located in close proximity to the final installation site.  

    Reference overview and Header image: © Sight on Site Inc.

  • The encased pedestrian bridge, TEC Bridge, is approx. 35m long and built in the center of the city of Toronto, Canada.
  • seele's service for the TEC Bridge included, as an example, the design, the production and installation of different laminated glass panes.
  • Because of the sophisticated shape of the steel-glass construction of the TEC Bridge, Toronto, each commercial bronze plate is unique in its geometry as well as the carving.
  • Even at night, the TEC Bridge is an eyecatcher in the city of Toronto, Kanada.
  • The TEC Bridge consists of 300sqm laminated glass and 190 commercial bronze plates with carved ornaments.
The encased pedestrian bridge, TEC Bridge, is approx. 35m long and built in the center of the city of Toronto, Canada.
© Sight on Site Inc.
seele's service for the TEC Bridge included, as an example, the design, the production and installation of different laminated glass panes.
© Sight on Site Inc.
Because of the sophisticated shape of the steel-glass construction of the TEC Bridge, Toronto, each commercial bronze plate is unique in its geometry as well as the carving.
© seele / Bernd Müller
Even at night, the TEC Bridge is an eyecatcher in the city of Toronto, Kanada.
© Sight on Site Inc.
The TEC Bridge consists of 300sqm laminated glass and 190 commercial bronze plates with carved ornaments.
© seele / Bernd Müller

Spectacular installation debut for seele

The specialty of this project is not only the complex design but also the sophisticated installation at Toronto’s biggest shopping mile. The old bridge between the TEC building and the HBC building had be demounted as well as the new bridge installed within two exactly defined consecutive dates. For this purpose the busy Queen Street West was closed for two weekends. The new TEC Bridge was pre-assembled in James Street, a side street close to the two buildings which were to be connected. In addition, primary and secondary construction steel, glass, commercial bronze plates and all other components were delivered to James Street and mounted upon a temporary sub-construction. Thereafter, the bridge was raised hydraulically and transported to its final position in Queen Street West for installation. 

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The enclosed bridge was completely pre-assembled in James Street (1). A module transport vehicle then brought the TEC Bridge in one piece from James Street (2) to its final position in Queen Street West (3).
To transport the bridge to its final position it was pre-mounted upon a sub-construction so it could be raised hydraulically and transported in one piece.
seele pilsen produced the steel portal frames of the new TEC Bridge.
The mockup construction at the seele test site in Gersthofen presents a vertically halved section of the TEC Bridge of 3m in length. Thus, the design as well as the installation could be tested.

Project diary

Installation progress at TEC bridge Toronto

From May until July 2017 new components were delivered for the assembly of TEC Bridge everyday to complete works until the opening date on 2nd of November 2017.

  • 02/11/2017
  • 18/09/2017
  • 08/07/2017
  • 08/07/2017
  • 08/07/2017
  • 05/07/2017
  • 03/07/2017
  • 16/06/2017
  • 20/05/2017
  • 17/05/2017
  • 11/05/2017
  • 10/05/2017
  • 24/04/2017
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02/11/2017

The countdown has started. In a few hours, the new connection between TEC and HBS shopping malls will open.
02/11/2017

18/09/2017

Works on the building connections as well as the rest of the cladding are in full swing and also the interior takes form.
18/09/2017

08/07/2017

Successful installation – the TEC bridge connects the two buildings. Now final works are following until the bridge opening at the end of the year.
08/07/2017

08/07/2017

The bridge is almost in its final position.
08/07/2017

08/07/2017

After nightly preparations the bridge is lifted and transported from James St. into Queen St. West early in the morning.
08/07/2017

05/07/2017

Only 3 days left until the TEC Bridge is raised hydraulically and transported to its final position in Queen Street West for installation.
05/07/2017

03/07/2017

The countdown has started: Only 5 days left until the TEC Bridge is lifted into its final position in Queen Street. The whole seele team is ready.
03/07/2017

16/06/2017

The new TEC Bridge is beginning to take its final shape. Currently the installation of the laminated glass and Z-profiles runs at full speed.
16/06/2017

20/05/2017

The disassembly of the old bridge happened hydraulically via a modular transporter and was then lifted on a transporter to remove it from site.
20/05/2017

17/05/2017

The first two portal frames are installed. The complete assembled frames are pulled along the primary steel structure and placed in their final position.
17/05/2017

11/05/2017

Overnight, the box beam was delivered on site and positioned with special security measures and precision work.
11/05/2017

10/05/2017

The box beam is on the way from Stoney Creek, Hamilton, to the construction site on James Street, Toronto.
10/05/2017

24/04/2017

The second batch of portal frames is loaded at seele pilsen for the shipment to the construction site.
24/04/2017

Credits

Client Cadillac Fairview
Main contractor PCL Constructors Canada Inc.
Architect Wilkinson Eyre Architects & Zeidler Partnership Architects
Structural planning Read Jones Christoffersen
Date of completion 2017
Scope of work by seele
  • 300sqm dot printed, 115sqm gray and 120sqm white interlocked laminated glass
  • 190 interlocked, commercial bronze plates with milled ornaments
  • 70m stainless steel hand rails and removable stainless steel grids
  • 90t primary steel structure, 60t visible secondary construction steel
  • building connection to Hudson‘s Bay Shopping Mall and to the Toronto Eaton Center
Awards
  • Best of the Best Project Achievement Award 2017
  • ENR 2018 Global Best Projects Award
  • Surface Design Award - Public Realm 2020
  • The International Architecture Award 2020
  • National Urban Design Awards 2022, Award of Merit