Is it art or architecture that inspires the great architects of our time to design structures that capture our imaginations? The Absolute Tower is without a doubt an equally inspired hybrid of both. It is nothing short of an architectural feat, yet its billowing silhouette has captivated enthusiasts around the world. Yansong Ma, of Beijing, China’s MAD architectural firm has eclipsed the “four walled” concept of traditional architecture to deliver this innovative residential high-rise building that has been dubbed “Marilyn Monroe” because of its stunning exterior curvature. Buildings such as this are more than a simple addition to a city’s skyline, they become an attraction of their own right. As part of a project that will include five high-rise residential buildings, the Absolute Tower, standing 50 stories tall will be the tallest building in Mississauga, Ontario. Construction for the project began in 2007 with completion scheduled for later this year.

Innovative Design Requires Innovative Techniques

Aluma Systems, widely regarding as an industry leader in providing innovative forming and shoring solutions, was awarded the horizontal formwork requirements. Given their expansive history of developing and utilizing highly innovative formwork products and solutions, Aluma was well suited to manage the Absolute Tower’s extremely difficult formwork transitions as the building’s design changes throughout every floor. The formwork solution chosen for the project was the highly efficient Aluma Truss System. Aluma Truss is designed to improve productivity while reducing cycle time and labor requirements. This Truss System requires only a one-time assembly that is reused floor by floor, eliminating disassembly and reassembly efforts. As required with the Absolute Tower, it is flexible enough to manage a wide variety of structural configurations, and a full range of value added accessories are available to create even greater efficiencies. As a part of a strategic focus on safety, Canada’s Ministry of Labor has required all of the projects contractors to utilize a fall protection system on the open edges of the building. Aluma was asked to design a custom safety attachment for the Truss System to protect workers. Aluma developed a unique guardrail system that both protects workers along the exterior edges of the building, and can accommodate the addition of a tarp to create an enclosure for operations and weather purposes. Aluma is proud to engineer products that protect the lives of workers every day.