Guildford Aquatic Centre
Engineer-Build
Overview
Designed by Bing Thom Architects, this swimming pool facility (added onto the existing Guildford Recreation Centre) provides space for family activities, athletic training, and hosting competitive swimming events. The owner’s architectural goals were to provide an accessible wood-based clear-span roof that reflects light, absorbs noise, and conceals the MEP services. So the design team responded with a structure made up of 95’-long exposed timber trusses, stained white, a white acoustic ceiling and a built-in catwalk.
The unique trusses, triangular in section, are comprised structurally of 2 glulam top chords and 1 glulam bottom chord, joined by CNC-cut LSL (Laminated Strand Lumber) webbing, and preservative-treated plywood deck. Inside the trusses the mechanical ducts, electrical services, lighting, sprinklers, and acoustic ceiling insulation are contained, all of which were pre-installed in the StructureCraft shop. The resulting 22 trusses (with roofing membrane already in place), each 95’ long x 14’ wide x 10’ deep, were carefully loaded onto trucks, transported overnight to site, and staged in preparation for lifting. The trusses were then hoisted and installed at a rate of 2 per day, thereby creating the entire 30,000 sf. roof in 2 weeks.