5742
Global
Height rank

50 Absolute World

Mississauga
Height
1
To Tip:
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the highest point of the building, irrespective of material or function of the highest element (i.e., including antennae, flagpoles, signage and other functional-technical equipment).
157.9 m / 518 ft
2
Architectural:
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the architectural top of the building, including spires, but not including antennae, signage, flag poles or other functional-technical equipment. This measurement is the most widely utilized and is employed to define the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) rankings of the "World's Tallest Buildings."
157.9 m / 518 ft
3
Occupied:
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the highest occupied floor within the building.
151.1 m / 496 ft
  Floors
Above Ground
The number of floors above ground should include the ground floor level and be the number of main floors above ground, including any significant mezzanine floors and major mechanical plant floors. Mechanical mezzanines should not be included if they have a significantly smaller floor area than the major floors below. Similarly, mechanical penthouses or plant rooms protruding above the general roof area should not be counted. Note: CTBUH floor counts may differ from published accounts, as it is common in some regions of the world for certain floor levels not to be included (e.g., the level 4, 14, 24, etc. in Hong Kong).
50
Below Ground
The number of floors below ground should include all major floors located below the ground floor level.
6
1 2 3 50 Absolute World
Height 157.9 m / 518 ft
Floors 50
Official Name
The current legal building name.

50 Absolute World

Other Names
Other names the building has commonly been known as, including former names, common informal names, local names, etc.

Marilyn Monroe Tower 2, Absolute World Tower 2, Absolute World North, Absolute World Building E

Name of Complex
A complex is a group of buildings which are designed and built as pieces of a greater development.

Absolute World

Type
CTBUH collects data on two major types of tall structures: 'Buildings' and 'Telecommunications / Observation Towers.' A 'Building' is a structure where at least 50% of the height is occupied by usable floor area. A 'Telecommunications / Observation Tower' is a structure where less than 50% of the structure's height is occupied by usable floor area. Only 'Buildings' are eligible for the CTBUH 'Tallest Buildings' lists.

Building

Status
Completed
Architecturally Topped Out
Structurally Topped Out
Under Construction
Proposed
On Hold
Never Completed
Vision
Competition Entry
Canceled
Proposed Renovation
Under Renovation
Renovated
Under Demolition
Demolished

Completed

Completion

2012

Country
The CTBUH follows the United Nations's definition of Country, and thus uses the lists and codes established by that organization.

Canada

City
The CTBUH follows the United Nations's definition of City, and thus uses the lists and codes established by that organization.

Mississauga

Function
A single-function tall building is defined as one where 85% or more of its usable floor area is dedicated to a single usage. Thus a building with 90% office floor area would be said to be an "office" building, irrespective of other minor functions it may also contain.

A mixed-use tall building contains two or more functions (or uses), where each of the functions occupy a significant proportion of the tower's total space. Support areas such as car parks and mechanical plant space do not constitute mixed-use functions. Functions are denoted on CTBUH "Tallest Building" lists in descending order, e.g., "hotel/office" indicates hotel function above office function.

Residential

Structural Material
All-Steel
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from steel. Note that a building of steel construction with a floor system of concrete planks or concrete slab on top of steel beams is still considered an “all-steel” structure as the concrete elements are not acting as the primary structure.

All-Concrete
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from concrete which has been cast in place and utilizes steel reinforcement bars and/or steel reinforced concrete which has been precast as individual components and assembled together on-site.

All-Timber
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from timber. An all-timber structure may include the use of localized non-timber connections between timber elements. Note that a building of timber construction with a floor system of concrete planks or concrete slab on top of timber beams is still considered an “all-timber” structure as the concrete elements are not acting as the primary structure.

Mixed-Structure
Utilizes distinct systems (e.g. all-steel, all-concrete, all-timber), one on top of the other. For example, a Steel Over Concrete indicates an all-steel structural system located on top of an all-concrete structural system, with the opposite true of Concrete Over Steel.

Composite
A combination of materials (e.g. steel, concrete, timber) are used together in the main structural elements. Examples include buildings which utilize: steel columns with a floor system of reinforced concrete beams; a steel frame system with a concrete core; concrete-encased steel columns; concrete-filled steel tubes; etc. Where known, the CTBUH database breaks out the materials used within a composite building’s primary structural elements.

All-Concrete

Official Website

Absolute World

Height
Architectural
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the architectural top of the building, including spires, but not including antennae, signage, flag poles or other functional-technical equipment. This measurement is the most widely utilized and is employed to define the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) rankings of the "World's Tallest Buildings."

157.9 m / 518 ft

To Tip
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the highest point of the building, irrespective of material or function of the highest element (i.e., including antennae, flagpoles, signage and other functional-technical equipment).
157.9 m / 518 ft
Occupied
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the highest occupied floor within the building.
151.1 m / 496 ft
Floors Above Ground
The number of floors above ground should include the ground floor level and be the number of main floors above ground, including any significant mezzanine floors and major mechanical plant floors. Mechanical mezzanines should not be included if they have a significantly smaller floor area than the major floors below. Similarly, mechanical penthouses or plant rooms protruding above the general roof area should not be counted. Note: CTBUH floor counts may differ from published accounts, as it is common in some regions of the world for certain floor levels not to be included (e.g., the level 4, 14, 24, etc. in Hong Kong).

50

Floors Below Ground
The number of floors below ground should include all major floors located below the ground floor level.

6

# of Apartments
Number of Apartments refers to the total number of residential units (including both rental units and condominiums) contained within a particular building.

453

# of Parking Spaces
Number of Parking Spaces refers to the total number of car parking spaces contained within a particular building.

954

# of Elevators
Number of Elevators refers to the total number of elevator cars (not shafts) contained within a particular building (including public, private and freight elevators).

6

Top Elevator Speed
Top Elevator Speed refers to the top speed capable of being achieved by an elevator within a particular building, measured in meters per second.

3.6 m/s

Tower GFA
Tower GFA refers to the total gross floor area within the tower footprint, not including adjoining podiums, connected buildings or other towers within the development.

35,380 m² / 380,827 ft²

Rankings

#
5742
Tallest in the World
#
122
Tallest in Canada
#
4
Tallest in Mississauga

Construction Schedule

2006

Proposed

2007

Construction Start

2012

Completed

Owner/Developer
Structural Engineer
Design

The Design Engineer is usually involved in the front end design, typically taking the leadership role in the Schematic Design and Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.

Other Consultant

Other Consultant refers to other organizations which provided significant consultation services for a building project (e.g. wind consultants, environmental consultants, fire and life safety consultants, etc).

Owner/Developer
Cityzen Development Group; Fernbrook Homes
Architect
Design

Usually involved in the front end design, with a "typical" condition being that of a leadership role through either Schematic Design or Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.

Burka Architects; MAD Architects
Structural Engineer
Design

The Design Engineer is usually involved in the front end design, typically taking the leadership role in the Schematic Design and Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.

MEP Engineer
Design

The Design Engineer is usually involved in the front end design, typically taking the leadership role in the Schematic Design and Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.

ECE Group Limited; Stantec Ltd.
Contractor
Main Contractor

The main contractor is the supervisory contractor of all construction work on a project, management of sub-contractors and vendors, etc. May be referred to as "Construction Manager," however, for consistency CTBUH uses the term "Main Contractor" exclusively.

Dominus Construction Group
Other Consultant

Other Consultant refers to other organizations which provided significant consultation services for a building project (e.g. wind consultants, environmental consultants, fire and life safety consultants, etc).

Interiors
ESQAPE Design
Landscape
NAK Design Group

CTBUH Initiatives

Twisting Tall Buildings

18 August 2016 - CTBUH Research

Toronto Regional Tour

29 October 2015 - Event

Videos

18 October 2012 | Mississauga

Best Tall Building Americas: Absolute World Towers: Anthropomorphic Iconography

Joe Cordiano and Ma Yansong speak about the Absolute Towers at the 2012 CTBUH Awards Symposium.

Research

01 December 2012

Case Study: Absolute World Towers, Mississauga

Bas Lagendijk, MAD Architects; Anthony Pignetti & Sergio Vacilotto, Dominus Construction Group

The CTBUH 2012 "Best Tall Building Americas" award-winning project is the result of a unique public-private partnership and international design competition.

 

About 50 Absolute World

Mississauga, a suburb of Toronto, is like many fringe towns in that it is growing in relation to its neighboring metropolitan area, though it does not have any architectural precedents for this growth. At around 734,000 residents, the city is in demand of residential property. To win the first international design competition held in the Toronto area in over 40 years, the architect put forth a radical design for a curving and biologically inspired design. When the tower project was proposed to the public, initially with only one tower, the scheme was so popular that the units sold out just days after the release of the building plans. After this response, the owner decided to buy an adjacent plot and build a second tower to meet the demand.

While the typology of the skyscraper, typically a glass box, is usually associated with a large city, many suburban areas are now experiencing expansion which requires the implementation of high-rise buildings. As a bold step in this initial direction, the Absolute World Towers are the tallest additions to Mississauga’s predominantly low-rise urban fabric; they are two of only six towers over 100 meters in the area, standing out as an organic and recognizable gesture along the skyline.

Challenging the typical rectilinear approach to tall building design and responding to the lack of high-rise context, the design of the Absolute World Towers presents a highly organic and humanized design that aims to connect to both the city and its inhabitants. The curvilinear forms contrast with the generic rectangular buildings in the city, providing a welcome relief from harsh lines. Fondly dubbed the Marilyn Monroe towers by local residents, the towers parallel the fluidity and natural lines found in life.

In creating a flowing vocabulary for the building exterior, the design also accomplishes a unique experience for the interior as well; each residential unit is provided with a unique layout and views of Toronto or Mississauga from its balcony. The rotation of floor plates that creates the building forms results in a dynamic façade which differs from every viewpoint. As a testament to the unique experience of these towers, property values in buildings around them have increased and demand for views of the towers is high.

Though the original project brief only planned for one tower, the interaction of the two towers greatly increases the experience of the buildings. Instead of simply replicating the same building twice, the two towers, one taller than the other, have different angular rotations. While the shorter of the two employs a more gradual revolution, producing a subtler effect, the taller tower has a more drastic rotation at its middle. The negative space created by these forms is unlike any other.

To support the uniquely shaped towers, the structural system was considered in several ways to determine the best solution. The advancing and receding floor plates would require staggering of columns or transfer beams in a traditional structural system. A simple concept ended up being the best: a series of concrete load-bearing walls that cross through the plan of the buildings provide ample vertical and lateral support, while responding to the singular geometry of the form.

At the forefront of a movement among tall building designers to rely on biomimicry, the buildings are spearheading organic form and a connection to nature. While other building designs have created complex curvilinear geometries, the Absolute Towers accomplish it with a straightforward concept and structural solution. In light of the commercial and critical success of the flowing towers, upcoming building projects may take inspiration from this simple and grounded approach to accomplish their goals.

As Mississauga continues to grow, future projects can rely on the precedent set by the towers in both their concept and execution. Eventually, the buildings will become part of a more dense urban setting, but will still have a unique effect on their surroundings.

18 October 2012 | Mississauga

Best Tall Building Americas: Absolute World Towers: Anthropomorphic Iconography

Joe Cordiano and Ma Yansong speak about the Absolute Towers at the 2012 CTBUH Awards Symposium.

18 October 2012 | Mississauga

CTBUH 11th Annual Awards Dinner

The 11th Annual Awards Ceremony & Dinner was held in Mies van der Rohe's iconic Crown Hall, on the Illinois Institute of Technology campus, Chicago....

18 October 2012 | Mississauga

Interview: Absolute World Towers

Ma Yansong and Joe Cordiano discuss the iconic nature of the Best Tall Building Americas, Absolute Towers, including the exciting competition and design processes involved...

18 October 2012 | Mississauga

Interview: Fazlur Khan Winner: Charles Thornton & Richard Tomasetti

Founders of the structural engineering firm, Thornton Tomasetti, Charlie and Richard were jointly awarded the Fazlur R. Kahn Medal for not only their contributions to...

18 August 2016

Twisting Tall Buildings

CTBUH has released a study that looks at the recent proliferation of twisting towers creating a new generation of iconic buildings throughout the world.

30 October 2015

Toronto Regional Tour

CTBUH 2015 delegates toured Toronto under the lead of CTBUH Canada. The highly successful tour led to many discussion on the lessons learned.

2 May 2013

CTBUH Canada Inaugural Meeting

The first event organized by the newly formed CTBUH Canada Chapter was held at the University of Toronto on May 2, to a highly enthusiastic reception.