The decision by the Sun Life company to convert its head office into a rental building necessitated a complete redevelopment and upgrading of the building, which was built in three phases between 1914 and 1933. Since these initial interventions, the firm has remained attached to this building for various structural engineering consulting mandates.
These mandates included the demolition of the 2nd basement, in order to transform it into a parking space. This was particularly complex in that it required the removal of a column. A 17-storey transfer was introduced and new foundations had to be built to accommodate the transferred loads.
Interventions in an existing building always require particular expertise since the engineer must not only have an excellent ability to read and analyse structural systems, but also an understanding of the construction methods and techniques that prevailed at the time of the original building’s construction. For our client of the Sun Life building, NCK was able to draw on its extensive experience in various expansion, renovation, recycling and redevelopment mandates involving existing buildings. More specifically, it designed intricate construction details that allowed the existing structure to be modified so as to meet both the program requirements and the owner’s budget.
NCK’s collaboration is on-going, and it continues to contribute its knowledge of the Sun Life Building for various interventions ranging from leasehold improvements to the restoration of the façades and balustrades of this heritage building.