High-rise Construction

Marilyn Monroe’ tower adds curves to the Toronto skyline

June 13, 2016
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“North American cities need something more organic, more natural, more human,” said Ma Yansong, a Yale-educated architect working for Beijing-­based MAD Architects. He entered and won a design competition set to bring greater character to Toronto’s Mississauga suburb. Yansong achieved his aspirations with his 56-­story glass, concrete, and steel tower.

Unlike the typical boxy high-­rise, this curvilinear building created construction challenges. The building has been dubbed “the Marilyn Monroe,” due to its curving lines.

The tower uses Valspar’s Acrodize coating in pewter. This coating was designed for low-­rise buildings with heavy foot traffic. This 50% PVDF coating has exceptional resistance to fading and chalking and delivers a pearlescent look.

The project was so successful that Yansong was commissioned to design a sister tower. There are now two dynamic introductions to the Toronto skyline, providing something more organic.

 

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About the Author

Jeff Alexander

Jeff Alexander, Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings VP of Sales for the Coil and Extrusion division has been with Sherwin-Williams (formerly Valspar) since 1997. He has an entrepreneur spirit and has thrived in building relationships with our customers. Jeff has fully immersed himself in all levels of the coating industry and enjoyed his term as National President at NCCA (National Coil Coating Association).  He is focused on continuing to educate customers on the paint industry.

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