This is a list of tallest buildings in Calgary, Alberta, namely buildings that are at least 400 feet (120 meters) tall.
Calgary is both the largest city and largest metropolitan area in the Canadian province of Alberta, with a municipal population of 1,267,344[1] as of April 1, 2018, and a metropolitan population of 1,469,300[2] as of July 1, 2016.
Overview
Standing at 56 stories, 247 m (810 ft), the tallest building in the city is Brookfield Place.[3][4] The second-tallest building in the city is The Bow, standing at 58-storeys, 236 m (774 ft). The third-tallest building in the city is the 60-storey, 222-metre (728 ft) Telus Sky, which surpassed the 215-metre (705 ft) Suncor Energy Centre upon its completion in 2020.[5][6] The Calgary Tower is included in this list for comparison purposes; however, it is not ranked since it is not considered a habitable building.
Calgary's history of towers began with the Grain Exchange Building (1910), the Fairmont Palliser Hotel (1914), and the Elveden Centre. Building construction remained slow in the city until the early 1970s. From 1970 to 1990, Calgary witnessed a major expansion of skyscraper and high-rise construction. Many of the city's office towers were completed during this period, such as the First Canadian Centre and the Canterra Tower office towers. A ten-year lull in building construction came after the expansion, though Calgary experienced a larger second building expansion beginning in the late 90s and continuing into the present.[7] Currently, the city has height restrictions that prevent any building from casting a shadow over the Bow River and the city hall, however, winter months are excluded from this limit. There is no other imposed limits elsewhere in the city, which could allow for some extremely tall buildings. The Bow Tower was originally proposed to be at least 1,000 feet tall but reduced to comply with these rules.[8]: 367 As of June 2018[update] Calgary hosts 373 buildings over 35 m (115 ft) complete and under construction, 82 of which are 100 m (328 ft) or more and are all in the downtown area. This is the second highest concentration of skyscrapers in Canada, behind Downtown Toronto.[9]
As of March 2019[update], there are 10 skyscrapers over 100 m (328 ft) under construction, along with another 34 skyscrapers over 100 m (328 ft) approved and proposed, with a further 56 high-rises over 35 m (115 ft) under construction, approved for construction, and proposed for construction in the City of Calgary. After this skyscraper boom, Calgary's skyline will have dramatically changed, having added at least the second tallest and fourth tallest buildings in Western Canada between 2016 and 2018, Brookfield Place East and Telus Sky respectively.[9]
Buildings
This list ranks buildings in Calgary that stand at least 400 feet (120 meters) tall, based on CTBUH height measurement standards. This includes spires and architectural details but does not include antenna masts. Freestanding observation and/or telecommunication towers, while not habitable buildings, are included for comparison purposes; however, they are not ranked. One such tower is the Calgary Tower.
(*) Although Calgary's two largest structures are actually CFCN-TV's twin communication towers, they are not self-supporting and are assisted by cables (guyed). This is not unlike most stand-alone communications antennae.
The taller of three ski jump towers built for the 1988 Winter Olympics; 90 meters is the distance a ski jumper travels from the terminus, not the height of the structure
The following is a list of buildings that are under construction, approved, or proposed in Calgary that are planned to rise at least 100 m (328 ft) As of January 2021[update].
This lists buildings that once held the title of tallest building in Calgary. Although it is not a building, the Calgary Tower was the city's tallest free standing structure from 1968 until 1983 when it was surpassed by the Suncor Energy Centre's West tower.