Central City - Surrey

A major project designed by Bing Thom architects and partially executed by StructureCraft builders paired with Fast + Epp for engineering and specialized timber solutions. Below hosts descriptions of the main scope of StuctureCraft’s work.  

Atrium Roof:
The 4,000 space truss members and 900 nodes create a curvilinear roof of 37,000 square feet, spanning up to 100 feet above the floor, suspended by clusters of timber “tree branches” and a central “king post” truss. Ten member types, all structurally tested and constructed from timber peeler cores, a by-product of the plywood industry, are linked together at custom designed node-castings. We hand framed this seven-foot deep truss into place on a working platform, removing the supporting scaffolding in phases.

Galleria Roof:
Twenty Trusses, roughly 20 feet wide and up to 90 feet long, make up the 450-foot roof structure which spans the Galleria over both shopping and university spaces below. Each truss, with its glulam chords, round timber struts and galvanized steel cables, was built adjacent to the shopping centre and hoisted into place. The roof’s supports accommodate more than 12 inches of seismic movement in any direction while allowing the glazed clerestory to illuminate the space below.

North Façade:
Rising 85 feet above the Atrium floor, the north-facing façade consists of two levels of massive Parallam columns, some 2 feet in diameter, shaped on our own lathe. Stainless steel cables align the tips of the support arms and muntins and carry the weight of the glazing. The 24,000 square foot façade not only curves in plan but also leans forward at a 4 degree tilt. Our 3D models also supplied the geometry for the glazing units. The transparent structure is highly visible in the community.