Canada Place Replaces its Iconic Five Sails

The Canada Place Corporation just recently completed the 2010/2011 Roof Rehabilitation project which saw the replacement of the iconic sail fabric.

Built in 1985 and known as one of Canada’s largest architectural landmarks, the five white sails have been welcoming the world to Vancouver for the past three decades. And while the sails appeared to be holding up fine, they were in desperate need of makeover to ensure its stability and keep its shine.

Here’s a before and after shot from the roof of the Pan Pacific Vancouver:

Canada Place Sails: Before and After

The New Sails

Replacing the sails wasn’t as easy as most would think. Despite the fluffy-pillow look, the sails are actually 27 fiberglass and teflon coated sheets that are stretched across steel cables and are supported by 40 foot steel masts.

To ensure the structure wouldn’t blow away during the replacement, they had to first build the new sails underneath the old ones. The project took several months and around $20 million from the federal government’s Infrastructure Stimulus Fund.

For a closer look, check out this video from the Daily Planet on how they replaced the sails: