Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a building that touches the clouds? Well, The One, an incredible skyscraper being built in Toronto, Canada is one of those places!
Here are 9 awesome facts about Toronto’s super-tall skyscraper that you’ll want to know!
Fun Facts
- The building will have 94 floors in total – that’s like stacking 31 regular houses on top of each other!
- They needed a special crane to build it that was one of the strongest ever used in Toronto
- The windows are made of special glass that helps keep the building warm in winter and cool in summer
- When it’s finished, you’ll be able to see it from almost anywhere in Toronto!
Canada’s tallest building
Imagine stacking about 250 elephants on top of each other – that’s how tall The One will be! At 338.3 meters (1,110 feet), it will be the tallest building in all of Canada. That’s even taller than the CN Tower’s main pod! The current tallest building in Canada is First Canadian Place, which has held this record since 1976 – that’s probably before your parents were born!
To help you picture just how tall this is, think about this: if you had a toy car that was 4 inches tall, you’d need to stack 3,330 of them to reach the top of The One! Or if you’re walking up the stairs (don’t worry, there are elevators!), you’d need to climb more steps than if you climbed the Eiffel Tower twice!
It’s called a “Supertall” skyscraper
Did you know there’s a special name for really, really tall buildings? When a building is taller than 300 meters (984 feet), it’s called a “supertall” skyscraper. The One will be Canada’s first supertall building – how cool is that? It’s like being the first person to do something amazing!
There’s actually a special group called the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat that decides these things. They’re like the judges of tall buildings! They have different categories:
- Tall (150+ meters)
- Supertall (300+ meters)
- Megatall (600+ meters)
The One is joining a special club of supertall buildings around the world, like the Empire State Building in New York and the Burj Khalifa in Dubai!
Special swimming pool
Imagine swimming in a pool while looking out over the entire city! The One will have an outdoor pool on the sixth floor. But this isn’t just any pool – it’s part of a fancy hotel called Andaz that will take up several floors of the building.
The pool area will also have a special deck where people can relax and enjoy the view. The hotel will have 160 rooms and the lobby will be on the fourth floor.
It’s a ‘Mini City’ inside
The One isn’t just a regular building – it’s like having a whole city in one place! The first 18 floors will be packed with amazing things:
- A fancy hotel where visitors can stay.
- Meeting rooms where grown-ups can work.
- Different types of homes people can reside in.
- Restaurants serving all kinds of delicious food from around the world.
- Big stores, including what might be the biggest Apple Store in Canada.
- Special event spaces where people can have parties and celebrations.
It has underground passages
The One will connect to underground walkways that lead to other buildings and the Bloor-Yonge subway station. So it’s like you can visit nearby places without going outside. It’s super handy especially during cold Canadian winters!
These passages are similar to Toronto’s famous PATH system, which is the largest underground pedestrian complex in North America. You could walk to different places, go shopping, or catch the subway, all while staying warm and dry.
It used to be a famous clothing store
Before The One started being built, there was a famous clothing store called Stollerys that stood in the same spot for 114 years! The store opened way back when cars were just being invented and people still rode horses on the streets of Toronto.
The builder, Sam Mizrahi, made friends with the store’s owner, Ed Whaley, and promised to make a special monument using stones from the old store. This way, even though the old building is gone, people will always remember the history of this special place. It’s like keeping a piece of Toronto’s past while building its future!
Has more homes than you can count
Well, actually you can count them – there will be 416 homes inside The One! Some of these will be super fancy penthouses at the very top of the building. When people first heard about these homes, approximately more than 3,000 people wanted to buy one.
The types of homes available in The One:
- Regular apartments
- Homes with two floors
- Bigger apartments for families
- Super fancy penthouses at the very top
And the penthouses are extra special because:
- They have the best views in the city
- They’re bigger than regular apartments
- They have fancy features like high ceilings
- Some might even have their own private elevators!
Giant underground parking lot
The One will have four floors of parking underground. It’s like having a giant garage that goes deep into the ground, with enough space for hundreds of cars.
But this isn’t just any parking lot:
- Special elevators will carry cars up and down
- There are spots for electric cars to charge
- It connects to the underground walkways
- It stays warm in winter and cool in summer
Designed by Foster and Partners
The One was designed by a company called Foster and Partners from London, England. These architects are masters of their craft and have created many famous buildings across the world!
Here’s what makes their design special:
- They made sure it would look beautiful from every angle
- They designed it to use less energy than other big buildings
- They used computers to test how the building would handle strong winds
- They even thought about how the building’s shadow would affect nearby parks!
- They created a special pattern on the outside of the building that makes it stronger
Conclusion
The One isn’t just another tall building – it’s going to be a new landmark in Toronto! When people visit the city, they’ll look up and be awed and floored by the magnificent beauty The One is. Just like the Eiffel Tower makes Paris special, The One will help make Toronto’s skyline even more amazing.
