KAIAPOI HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM

Christchurch, New Zealand

Project Description

CREDITS: Design Team: Structural Concepts Ltd / Contractor: Brosnan Construction

This 1200m² gymnasium for Kaiapoi High School will be home to many games of basketball, netball, badminton and volleyball. Incorporated, are two mezzanine floors with a private gym, storage and changing rooms for the students.

The main structure is an LVL portal frame system with LVL cross bracing and LVL purlins. The visually exposed timber within the building makes for a natural and vibrant learning environment for the students.

TimberLab fabricated all LVL components to millimetre accuracy using CAD/CAM CNC processing to ensure an accurate fit with metalwork brackets onsite.  Purlin locations were even factory machined on each rafter to eliminate the need for site measuring.

The roof structure and mezzanine floors were constructed on the ground and lifted into place as full bays, with purlins and cross bracing already fixed. This meant minimal work was required at heights and ensured an efficient and safe build program.

Portal frames span 25m across the courts and are spaced at 7.3m centres down the building. Purlins and cross bracing elements were fixed within the rafter depth to form a neat roof structure.