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Top Glass Speaker: Skylight Geek Out

The galleria skylight roof at the CF Toronto Eaton Centre is on of the most iconic and familiar pieces of structural glazing in Canada. Built in 1977, it now requires a complete replacement to address 50 years of wear-and-tear and bring it up to modern standards for energy performance and maintenance. The design and operational challenges of executing this high-profile project over an operating retail space are daunting, but Zeidler Architecture and RJC Engineers have tackled them with a number of truly remarkable technical innovations. Perhaps more remarkable is the level of detail and expertise our presenters, Andrew Crosby and David Collins, bring to this comprehensive study of every aspect of the skylight’s design and installation. Big panels to reduce the number of cross-members? Check. Thermally broken patch fittings? Check. New pressure caps to avoid wet glazing? Check. Invisible button system? Check. Heat sinks to prevent condensation? Check. Glass nerds, get ready for a level of glazing engineering discussion that will have you on the edge of your seats. 

About the speakers

David Collins, Zeidler Architectural

Collins is one of Zeidler’s leading architects and project managers. With nearly 20 years of experience, he is skilled at all phases of project execution and is particularly adept at client and team management. His work in commercial, residential, and mixed-use developments extends across Canada, Asia, and the Middle East. Collins is recognized for his ability to lead complex projects in challenging conditions, exemplified by his asset renewal work such as the CF Toronto Eaton Centre Bridge and the Galleria Revitalization, the Allan Gardens historic Palm House Restoration, and Sherbourne Estates, a complete overclad and repositioning of two aging concrete rental towers.

Andrew Crosby, RJC Engineers

Crosby has approached facade engineering with a passion. He has been involved with numerous projects engineering glass, steel, cable and aluminum structures throughout Canada and the U.S. With a speciality in structural glass design, he strives to push the structural glass industry further. Crosby has worked on a wide range of complex glass structures including glass bridges, skylights, stairs, fin walls, cable net wall and innovative feature elements. His portfolio includes the glass observation boxes (the Ledge) at the Sears Tower in Chicago; Calgary Eaton Centre’s barrel vault skylight and glass bridge; and Glacier Skywalk in Jasper National Park. •