The West Village Towers project in downtown Calgary is a rising complex of three interconnected high-rise towers designed to reflect the natural beauty of the nearby Rocky Mountains and Bow River.  Also known as “The Hat @ West Village”, when completed, it will be the tallest multi-residential mixed-use project in downtown Calgary – occupying an entire city block and commanding spectacular views of the surroundings.  

The West Village Towers project in downtown Calgary is a rising complex of three interconnected high-rise towers designed to reflect the natural beauty of the nearby Rocky Mountains and Bow River.  Also known as “The Hat @ West Village”, when completed, it will be the tallest multi-residential mixed-use project in downtown Calgary – occupying an entire city block and commanding spectacular views of the surroundings.  

Each tower features a slanted translucent roofline and multi-colored spandrel panels to exude a combination of shining reflectivity and warm earth tones.  The wall cladding design challenge centered around choosing materials that would blend well with the specified clear and blue glazing, project a look and feel reminiscent of the surrounding landscape, and not require highly specialized installation systems.  

Custom Metal Contracting Ltd. of Calgary, Alberta Canada and Alfrex, LLC of Buford, Georgia USA partnered to develop a comprehensive solution that would achieve the design intent while providing economic benefits versus other alternatives.  A key component of the solution was the development of three rough textured finishes to mimic the look and feel of concrete.  After color and texture approval, a specially formulated protective film was employed to adhere to the textured finish surface and provide for maximum protection during the fabrication and installation phases of the project.  Utilizing Custom Metal Contracting’s Composite Panels System Series 20 rainscreen system, at project completion approximately 130,350 square feet of Alfrex FR 4mm MCM in four colors will clad the exterior of the three towers and integrate beautifully as a new addition to the Calgary skyline. 

Alfrex, LLC is the newest North American domestic MCM manufacturer and is pleased to be a member of the Metal Construction Association and MCM Alliance.  Alfrex specializes in fire-resistant and non-combustible architectural metal wall cladding with a portfolio including Alfrex FR Metal Composite Material, matching 0.040” flat sheet, and coil coated aluminum Alfrex Plate in 0.080” and 3mm thick panels up to 62” wide.  Its parent company, Unience, Co Ltd., began operation in 2000 as a manufacturer of specialty fire-resistant coatings, bonding materials, and pelletized mineral filled FR core compound for globally recognized MCM manufacturers. In 2008, Unience launched Alfrex in South Korea with a multi-line MCM production facility dedicated to the exclusive production of FR core MCM utilizing in-house, fire-resistant core technology. Today, both Unience and Alfrex are headquartered in Buford, Georgia USA, with a new state of the art FR core MCM production plant complimented by a commercial branch in Toronto, Ontario Canada.