• Sustainability: LEED Gold Certification
• Signature architecture: design to celebrate the importance of Manitoba Hydro to the province and to enhance the image of downtown Winnipeg
• Urban regeneration: strengthen and contribute to a sustainable future for Winnipeg’s downtown
• Cost: Cost-effective, sound financial investment.

Advocate architects used the charter as a gauge throughout all phases to keep goals balanced and provide an alternative to the conventional client-architect-engineer contract in which goals are often unclear or undefined.

Construction

As a city of 500,000, Winnipeg’s labor and trades had limited experience in building large-scale office towers. In 2005, the regional building market was overheated due to the boom in western Canada and several large infrastructure projects proceeding on a similar timetable. The construction manager and cost consultant identified the difficult market conditions as the most significant risk factor for Manitoba Hydro. Their advice was to get to the market quickly before the other large projects by using a fast-track, sequential bid process.

Schematic design was completed in May 2005 and construction began in August 2005.