Royal Bank Plaza is a skyscraper in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that has served as the corporate headquarters for the Royal Bank of Canada since 1976. The building shares with the Fairmont Royal York Hotel the block in Toronto's financial district bordered by Bay, Front, York, and Wellington streets. It is owned by Pontegadea.[7]
History
The building was built to be the new main office of the Royal Bank of Canada after its decision to move its centre of operations from Place Ville Marie in Montreal to Toronto in the late 1970s, although Place Ville Marie remains the bank's head office (a distinct title from its corporate headquarters). Royal Bank Plaza consists of a South Tower and a North Tower. The South Tower, a skyscraper, is the taller of the two at 180 m; the North Tower has a height of 112 m. The structures each have a triangular footprint and sit on opposing corners of the square site. The exteriors of the structures are largely covered with gold-bronze glass with tan granite accents. Together, both towers contain more than 14,000 windows which project from the facade to form angular bays set into brushed aluminum frames. Six bays are grouped between piers which are covered in the same glass. The upper stories are recessed and contain three larger angled-bays between the piers. The double-height entry is also recessed from the facade and covered in dark-tinted glass set into dark aluminum frames.