The 100 Street Funicular and Frederick G. Todd Lookout, the newest funicular in Canada, opened in downtown Edmonton in early December. The $24 million cable-mechanized incline elevator can transport mobility aids, bikes, and strollers to make Edmonton’s river valley more accessible.
A staircase runs parallel to the funicular. The staircase features built-in concrete block seating and a special path for runners. The staircase features about 170 steps made out of Kebony wood, an eco-friendly wood known for its durability – it lasts six times longer than pressure-treated wood. The staircase and incline elevator both lead to a connected promenade and raised lookout.
Photo: Brock Kryton.
The funicular descends to the promenade and lookout point that provides unobstructed views of the river valley. From there, stairs or an elevator can be used to descend the rest of the way.
Dialog, the architectural firm behind the project, says the design was heavily influenced by the existing connective infrastructure of Edmonton’s river valley system. The Kebony wood stairs visually connect to the Kebony wood used on the boardwalk and architectural cladding.
Photo: Brock Kryton.
Braille on the funicular and elevator buttons, extra lighting, and security are all included to enhance accessibility.
Related Stories
| Nov 18, 2014
Fan of the High Line? Check out NYC's next public park plan (hint: it floats)
Backed by billionaire Barry Diller, the $170 million "floating park" is planned for the Hudson River, and will contain wooded areas and three performance venues.
| Nov 6, 2014
Studio Gang Architects will convert power plant into college recreation center
The century-old power plant will be converted into a recreation facility with a coffee shop, lounges, club rooms, a conference center, lecture hall, and theater, according to designboom.
Sponsored | | Nov 5, 2014
Welcome to sports central
The Fieldhouse Sportscenter in Springfield, Mo., serves as a community center for basketball and volleyball leagues and tournaments.
| Oct 30, 2014
New hotel to be developed at future Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters
The Omni property will be one of the only full-service upscale hotels in the area, and serve as a cornerstone of the mixed-use development, which will be anchored by the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and Frisco’s Multi-Use Event Center.
| Oct 20, 2014
Singapore Sports Hub claims world's largest free-spanning dome
The retractable roof, which measures a whopping 1,017-feet across, is made from translucent ETFE plastic panels supported with metal rigging that arches over the main pitch.
| Oct 16, 2014
Perkins+Will white paper examines alternatives to flame retardant building materials
The white paper includes a list of 193 flame retardants, including 29 discovered in building and household products, 50 found in the indoor environment, and 33 in human blood, milk, and tissues.
| Oct 15, 2014
Harvard launches ‘design-centric’ center for green buildings and cities
The impetus behind Harvard's Center for Green Buildings and Cities is what the design school’s dean, Mohsen Mostafavi, describes as a “rapidly urbanizing global economy,” in which cities are building new structures “on a massive scale.”
| Oct 12, 2014
AIA 2030 commitment: Five years on, are we any closer to net-zero?
This year marks the fifth anniversary of the American Institute of Architects’ effort to have architecture firms voluntarily pledge net-zero energy design for all their buildings by 2030.
| Sep 24, 2014
Architecture billings see continued strength, led by institutional sector
On the heels of recording its strongest pace of growth since 2007, there continues to be an increasing level of demand for design services signaled in the latest Architecture Billings Index.
