Ian Washbrook, P.Eng.

Living in Egypt as a child, professional engineer Ian Washbrook visited the Great Pyramid of Giza and the temples of Luxor during elementary school field trips, gazing in awe at the ancient wonders.

In high school, when his family moved to Greece, he spent hours exploring Athens’ historical ruins, admiring their elegance and contemplating their construction. 

Growing up a diplomat’s son, he saw first-hand the intricate, wrought-iron pillars of the Eiffel Tower while living in Paris. Moscow’s ornate, onion-domed churches amazed him when he called that city home for a time.

“I lived in nine countries and 15 cities and was fortunate to be exposed to many historical and contemporary structural engineering marvels around the world,” he recalls.

Those marvels inspired the teenage Washbrook to head to the University of Waterloo, in Ontario, to follow his dream of becoming an engineer.

“I always was good with math, and then when I discovered physics, which is applied science, I think my fate was sealed,” he laughs.

Luckily for Calgary—where he has put down roots over the past decade—Washbrook returned to Alberta (he was born in Edmonton) to build his career as a structural engineering consultant. He has made his mark managing and leading many high-profile developments, from performing arts centres to post-secondary buildings, but one of the most distinct projects in his portfolio is Calgary’s New Central Library.

Peeling away the layers

Like the iconic structures Washbrook admired growing up, the library, which opened in November 2018, is an engineering masterpiece in its own right. Built at the edge of downtown Calgary, it’s elevated over top the city’s busiest light-rail transit train line.

“Once you start peeling away the layers and getting into the library’s skeleton, that’s pretty cool,” notes Washbrook.

Designed by the architectural firms Snøhetta and DIALOG, the 240,000-square-foot, $245-million library was the City of Calgary’s largest investment in a public cultural facility since the 1988 Olympic Winter Games.

The vision: to create a landmark gathering space for learning, inspiration, entertainment, and recreation that would better connect the fast-growing East Village community to the downtown core.

As a principal with local design firm Entuitive, Washbrook led structural engineering for the five-year project, from concept through completion.

Visitors to the library are wowed by the massive wooden arch welcoming them at the building’s entrance, the curving façade with its hexagon-shaped windows, the beckoning invitation of the cantilevered staircases, and the striking oculus—an immense skylight that tops the soaring four-storey atrium and floods the building with light.

But the most impressive feat of innovation was also the biggest challenge in building the library, and it resulted in an engineering first for Calgary: construction over an active train line.

Incredibly, the development barely affected commuters. Only a handful of CTrain shutdowns occurred thanks to the clever design and well-planned and executed construction sequencing.

For example, it took just 25 hours to build a roof over the line where the train emerges from below grade to street level. The roof protected trains and workers during construction.

The structure that encapsulates 135 metres of train line also forms part of the library’s foundation. The library wraps right around and over top of it.

“We extended the train tunnel, and the curved train line ended up informing the architects on the shape of the building. They mirrored that curve, and it created this unique, oil-lamp-shaped building,” explains Washbrook.

Man of steel

Another significant structural challenge was the columns—or lack thereof.

Wanting to keep the interior open and airy, and to avoid putting columns over top the train line, engineers used one of Washbrook’s favourite building materials: steel.

To provide the maximum column-free space, they designed five steel mega-trusses that span across the LRT and give the library its shape and form. The largest truss is 55 metres wide and more than three storeys tall. It weighs 200 tonnes—the equivalent of about 150 cars.

“It’s so big, it had to come to the site in pieces. Each piece of the truss—the chords, the webs—had to be erected and welded on site,” he recalls.

Standing the giant trusses upright, workers built the library around them and tied them into the concrete cores for the stairs and elevator. Sections of the steel plate remain exposed within the building.

At the north side of the library, similar to the prow of a ship, they cantilevered two trusses 10 metres over top of the train tracks.

“You can grab your coffee and watch the trains come right out from underneath your feet as they enter or exit the encapsulation below. It’s a neat experience,” adds Washbrook.

Although the main level is elevated, a portion of the building is at grade. Three meeting rooms and a 400-person theatre sit on bearing pads to isolate them from the noise of the train as it rumbles by—just five feet away in some areas.

In addition to quiet spaces, including the Great Reading Room on the fourth floor, the library boasts a vibrant and dynamic community space with a children’s play space on the main level, a teen centre, two cafes, a recording studio, and 30 free, bookable meeting spaces.

Goosebumps moments

In its first seven months, Central Library had more than one million visitors. Opening day was particularly special for Washbrook and everyone involved in bringing the library to life.

“There was a line-up of hundreds of people waiting to see the inside of the library for the first time. That was like a goosebumps moment,” he remembers. “Another goosebumps moment was when they came in, every single person stopped and looked up at the oculus, just like you would when you’re walking into a cathedral in France.”

It took approximately 1.7 million construction hours and a large team of professionals, tradespeople, and contractors to make it all happen.

“This was a huge group effort that required collaborating, assessing ideas, finding solutions, being innovative together, and having fun. There were challenges during design and construction, but at the end of the day, we had fun doing it and we’re proud of what we accomplished,” explains Washbrook.

Calgarians can also be confident that the library isn’t just beautiful—it’s also safe. That’s because the professional engineers who helped build it are members of APEGA, the professional association that regulates engineering and geoscience in Alberta on behalf of the Government of Alberta. The engineering and geoscience companies that were involved with the project are also registered by APEGA.

“As professionals, being part of a self-regulated and ethical organization like APEGA gives clients and government institutions the trust that we uphold our work to the highest standard,” notes Washbrook. “Ultimately, it’s about ensuring the projects we undertake are safe and the public interest is protected.”

To inspire all

Before the pandemic, Washbrook visited the library regularly with his four school-aged children, the youngest of whom was born just a week after the first library design meeting took place. He also gave educational presentations at the theatre, explaining to Grade 5 and 6 students how the library was designed and constructed.

He’s looking forward to doing so again, one day soon.

“This is a place where people come to work, learn, play, and even worship. It’s one of the most democratic buildings there is—it’s open to everyone, there’s no admission fee,” he says. “It’s now part of the fabric of the City of Calgary for current and future generations to explore, experience, and enjoy.”