Vancouver Convention Center

2009 Design Award Winner

Project Team

Structural Engineer: Glotman Simpson Consulting Engineers
Owner: PAVCO / VCCEP Ltd
Architect: LMN Architects, Seattle & Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership
General Contractor: PCL Constructors Westcoast Inc.
Steel Joist Manufacturer: Canam Steel Works
Steel Detailer: Dowco Consultants Ltd Steel Detailing
Steel Fabricator: Canron Western Constructors Ltd
Steel Erector: Canron Western Constructors Ltd

Project Type: Non-Industrial

Project Description

The long-awaited expansion to Vancouver's convention and exhibition facilities opened in April 2009. The design team worked interactively with the clients - City of Vancouver Planning Department and the BC Government's Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Project (VCCEP) team - to develop the new convention centre, one that responds to the ever-growing demand for convention and exhibition space in Vancouver. With strict zoning height and depth restrictions and two thirds of the building hovering over the water, this was never going to be a straightforward project. The architectural concept included very large spans, juxtaposed spaces, angular shapes and heavy loads. The superstructure design and construction was complicated by the high seismic zone, sloping columns on the north face, the irregular geometry throughout and the glass curtain wall. The lateral system had no solid perimeter or core needed to resist seismic loads.

What Makes This Project Interesting

Building Information Modeling transformed the design process of the Vancouver Convention Centre construction. Glotman Simpson proposed its use for this project, and took full advantage of 3D modeling, design, presentation and delivery of documentation via electronic communication, only using paper copy for minor information and for backup. Glotman Simpson implemented steel detailing software Tekla together with SAP2000 and Revit Structure to provide the structural modeling at the design stage. By employing Tekla early in the project, the structural design information became the springboard for shop drawings and foreshortened the tendering and shop drawing period considerably. The structural design evolved with greater precision and speed than ever before. As an example, 3D conceptualization allowed engineers utilizing approximate and shortcut methods to estimate preliminary steel quantities within 5% of the final built configuration. Atop the sloping and irregularly shaped roofs is a living green roof the largest of it’s kind in North America to date. Only with the use of steel roof joists could the structure have been as economical and quick to construct. With joists over the ballroom spanning to 120 feet, the challenge of supporting the green roof was solved. Floors with a combination of composite beam and joist provided an efficient solution where vibration sensitivity was high and the depth available to mechanical and structure was very limited. The choice of a joist system helped this project maintain it’s budget and erection timelines. Careful selection of systems helped contribute to the targeted LEED Gold Status.

Advantages Of The Chosen Structural System

Pinched within the confines of two immovable limits, the high tide mark and an existing city street, the structure above the expansive exhibition hall on the lowest level could be no deeper than 600 mm. Fortunately a few columns could be permitted in the exhibition hall in 27.4 by 36.6m bays however the meeting rooms, ballroom and foyer had to be clear span. The key solution for planning the structure turned out to be steel trusses the full depth of floor levels and in a number of cases, multiple floor levels together with long span floor framing and roof framing. Steel joists provided a key part of the puzzle carrying heavy loads over long spans and easily integrated with the truss framing of the support walls. 10 foot deep trusses over the ballroom create a span between key bearing points that run down through the building onto the marine deck and onto the steel pipe piled foundations. Being able to span the distances necessary to reach key bearing points provided overall efficiencies that only the joists could provide.

Project Scope

A low-profile building with requirements for very long spans and a living green roof sprawling along the Coal Harbour waterfront, the expansion dwarfs the original centre and adds 1,400,000 sq.ft. to the convention facility. The finished project has tripled the centre's total function space to 515,000 sq.ft. Total project cost was $883 million. The new building incorporates a 180’ clear roof span over the upper floor ballroom space that also incorporates a “green” roof system. The convention centre space is 300’ x 735’ with a 90’x120’ structural grid.

Project Details

Project Construction Cost: $883m
Joist cost, including fabrication and erection: $5,300,000
Size (square ft.): 1,400,000
Roof area using joists (square ft.): 300,000
Floor area using joists (square ft.): 350,000
Joist area (square ft.): 650,000 (886 joists, 1487 tons)
Joist engineering to delivery (# days): 810
Joist erection (# days): 632 man days

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