Light-looking Structural Design

The City of Calgary pursued a bold architectural statement for the terminal station of the Light Rail Transit (LRT).

The Crowfoot LRT Station is a feature gateway into the City of Calgary presenting a seamless fusion of civic infrastructure, dynamic architectural expression and unique structural forms. The station is an inviting, exciting and secure environment for thousands of commuters on their way into, and back from, the City Centre.

The Transportation Infrastructure assembled a design team to develop and design the station to evoke the energetic nature and civic pride of Calgary's citizens. RJC was pleased to be the Structural Engineers on the team.

This dramatic gateway station features a gracefully curved steel roof spanning the long direction of the structure. The triangulated steel truss supporting this roof is a strong visual element within the station head. The unique mezzanine floor extends over the tracks and is suspended from the roof structure to minimize the structural depth of the floor.

The complex vibration characteristics of the structure are suppressed by a tuned mass damper embedded in the mezzanine to enhance user comfort. With the exception of the elevator shaft, the supporting structure from grade has been carefully disguised. No vertical columns support the roof structure or the mezzanine floor of the station. As a result, both appear to float over, and within, the entirely glazed exterior skin of the structure.