leləm̓ Community Centre

The structural system of this facility is an example of truly hybrid construction where materials are used based on ‘right material for the right place.’ Mass timber was utilized for the roof, which made the building structure lighter, shorten on-site construction times, and allowed for architecturally pleasing exposed wood surfaces.

Steel columns and lateral load resisting braces throughout the building employed the high strength properties of steel and maximized the usage of available space. Additionally, steel vertical elements in conjunction to the mass timber components contributed to a reduced construction timeline.

Concrete construction was used to make up the foundational system to ensure long term durability, as well as being applied in the fitness and multipurpose activity spaces to minimize vibrations and enhance robustness. In the gymnasium, the wide open space was achieved with a long-span solution of narrow tapered glulam beams, alongside a roof paneling system using conventional plywood over dimensional lumber joists – which were designed to fit in between glulam beams. (source; Fast + Epp website)