The CN Tower, All You Need to Know

Articles > The CN Tower, All You Need to Know

Introduction

The tower is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The tower serves the purpose of communication and observation tower. The height of the tower is about 553.33 meters(1815.39 ft). The tower is the tallest free-standing tower in Canada, North America, and the Western Hemisphere. The word CN means Canadian National. It is the name of the railway company which built the tower. In the year 1995, the American Association of Civil Engineers declared it is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The Tower also belongs to the World Federation of Great Towers.

Fig 1: The CN Tower in Toronto, Canada

The building

The tower is made of concrete. The construction was started on 9th February 1973. It took three years to complete the construction of the tower. It was open to the public on June 26, 1976. At that time it was the tallest freestanding structure on land in the world. Now it is the ninth tallest building in the world. It is basically a communication and observation tower. After 40 months of construction, the CN Tower was the country’s most celebrated landmark. It is the center of telecommunications for Toronto. It is serving 16 Canadian television and FM radio stations. It is the workplace of over 500 people throughout the year and an internationally renowned tourism destination. The transmission equipment is very powerful as well as extremely sensitive. The radome is designed to protect it from the elements. It is a Teflon-coated fiberglass-rayon fabric. Although the CN Tower is a matter of pride and inspiration for Canadians, it is also a sense of awe for foreign tourists. In the year 1960, the people of Canada thought that an unprecedented construction boom in Toronto transforming a skyline characterized by relatively low buildings into one dotted with skyscrapers. The buildings caused serious communication problems for existing transmission towers, which were simply not high enough to broadcast over the new buildings. Signals bounced off the buildings which create poor television and radio reception for residents. But after the tower was built with its microwave receptors at 338m and 553.33 m antenna, the CN tower solved the communication problems. People living in the Toronto area now enjoy some of the clearest reception in North America.

Foundation and Design

The construction process was started by the removal of 56 metric tonnes of earth and shale for the foundation. Prior to this, an elaborate series of tests are done on the soil to assess the condition of the bedrock and determine how it would react to the changes in hydrostatic pressure. Once the foundation was ready, work began on the CN Tower’s 335-meter concrete shaft, a hexagonal core with three curved support arms. The process involved pouring concrete into a massive mould or ‘slip-form’. As the concrete hardened, the mould, supported by a ring of climbing jacks powered by hydraulic pressure moved up and gradually decreases in size to produce the CN Tower’s gradually tapered contour.

Fig 2: The Main Part of the CN tower

The tower has a total seven-story and is the house of observation decks and evolving restaurants. With the help of a giant Sikorsky helicopter, 44 pieces of antennas are lifted to place in the proper position. When the final piece i.e, 44th number of the antenna was bolted into place, the CN Tower joined the ranks of other 17 World’s Tallest Free-Standing Structures. In 1995, the American Society of Civil Engineers classified the tower as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. After the opening of the CN Tower, Canadian people and tourists al, over the globe have made a trip to Toronto to celebrate the marvel of engineering. The CN Tower also provides a wide range of unique attractions, exhibits, and food, and beverage venues.

Over the years, millions of dollars have been invested in expanding and renovating the CN Tower to provide visitors a world-class experience.

A base extension project was added for an area of 75000 square feet in the year 1998. The area will be used for attractions and shopping at the base of the tower including a theatre and gift shops.
A critical communication link is adapting over the years by providing wireless voice and data transmission as well as for radio and television broadcasts.
Renovation and remodeling of the restaurants in the tower and also a good quality of cuisine in every bit as spectacular as the view.
Additional elevators were installed to meet the demands of growing numbers of visitors to the Tower.
In the year 2006, the Tower added a new meeting and event space at the base to meet the growing demand for the unique Toronto event venue which presented 1100square feet of flexible space adjacent to the CN Tower. The new meeting rooms are fully equipped for audiovisual presentations and room layouts are such that they can accommodate the maximum number of people.
On April 9, 2008, the CN Tower introduced North America’s first and the World’s highest glass floor paneled elevator. Recently one of the Tower’s six glass-fronted elevators was enhanced to present a thrilling new perspective on the view 346 meters straight down.
In the year 2010, a state-of-the-art high definition 3D theatre is the newest addition at the CN Tower.

Fig 3: During the construction of the Tower

Conclusion

Although there are many magnificent freestanding skyscrapers in the world, the CN Tower was the first of its size and type. It was a major achievement for Baldwin and Franklin Architects, the Toronto firm which provided the initial design and construction of the Tower. When it was built, it was a revolution in engineering. Today, the CN Tower remains a symbol of human ingenuity pioneered by Canadians. Not only did firms accomplish a major feat of engineering, but in their time, they pushed forward the boundaries of science and engineering. As of Today, CN Tower is an important icon of Toronto, and more than two million tourists and visitors pay their visit every year. Since 1995, it has been one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.

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The CN Tower, All You Need to Know

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