Famous StructuresTopic: CN Tower

By: Lauren Walter 7B

What is the structure and where is it located?

My structure for this project is the CN Tower. This structure is Canada’s most recognized icon as well as Toronto’s most popular tourist attraction. The CN Tower is located in Downtown Toronto in proximity to the Rogers Center and the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Rogers Centre

CN Tower

Metro Toronto Convention Centre

How is it unique? Describe the functional features. (Form) The CN Tower is an extremely unique structure because it was the tallest

building in the Western Hemisphere with a height of 553.33 metres. The CN Tower was the tallest structure up until 2009, when the Burj Khalifa became the tallest structure. My structure is tall and thin but towards the top of the structure it is round and thick because of the spinning restaurant. The CN Tower is a combination of a shell, frame and solid structure. The CN Tower is a shell structure because the CN Tower is hollow. It’s a frame structure because there are many parts and levels to this structure. Finally, it’s a solid structure because it is fully supported and because there is solid construction within the structure. The CN Tower is made out of concrete, metals, steel, glass and woods. This structure is built with such great materials, this is extremely important because when lightning strikes the CN Tower we don’t want this structure to get damaged. The CN Tower looks very appealing and interesting from a far distance. Whenever I pass by this structure while driving I see how magnificent it looks and I also see how much work and time was put into this structure.

What purpose does the structure serve? (Function)

One purpose of the CN Tower is to attract tourists from all over the world. Additionally the CN Tower is used for TV and radio broadcasting which is why it’s a well known structure. Another purpose of the CN Tower is to demonstrate Canadian industry. The CN Tower also contains a lot of cell sites. Cell sites are where antennas and electronic equipments are placed. Some elements of the CN Tower’s form suits it’s function. For example the height of the CN Tower (form) suits the cell sites on the top of the CN Tower (function) which are used for TV and radio broadcasting.

Fun Facts About The CN Tower

• The letters “CN” in the name “CN Tower” stand for the Canadian National Railway. The Canadian National Railway are the company who built the CN Tower.

• It took 40 months to build the CN Tower

• This structure officially opened on June 26, 1976.

• It took 1,537 workers to construct the CN Tower.

• It cost 63 million dollars to build and finish the CN Tower.

• The 360 restaurant rotates in all directions of Toronto every 72 minutes.

• The CN Tower weighs 117, 910 metric tonnes.

•The CN Tower was named “Seven Wonders of the Modern World” by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1995.

• This tower is visited by approximately 2 million people a year.

Bibliography :

• Source #1 : Parsa, Matt and Fanous, Steve. “CN Tower”. Toronto Place. Version. N.P. N.D. http://www.torontoplace.com/attractions/CNtower.htm Web.18th January 2012. Web. 18th, January 2012.

• Source #2 :Second Nature Online English. “CN Tower”. Second Nature. Version. N.P. 24, November 2005. http://2ndnature-online-eikaiwa.com/Canada-Festivals/CN-Tower.htm. Web. 19th, January 2012.

• Source #3: New York Times Company. “CN Tower: 15 Fascinating Facts”. About.com. Version. McLean, Jane. 2012.http://gocanada.about.com/od/canadiancities1/qt/15factscntower.htm. Web. 20th, January 2012.

• Source #4: No Name. “CN Tower”. Wikipedia. Version. N.P. 3, February 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CN_Tower. Web. 20th, January 2012.