One of the largest timber roof structures in British Columbia has recently been completed in Salmon Arm. The stacked plank roof at the new Askew’s Uptown store covers more than 34,000 square feet, and is constructed entirely from locally-milled dimensional lumber.
Structural engineering was provided by Fast & Epp, the engineering firm behind the 2010 Olympic Skating Oval in Richmond. For the Askew’s project they worked with Allen & Maurer Architects to design a panellized system constructed entirely from locally sourced Douglas Fir.
The panels were pre-fabricated by Exel Construction in a heated building last winter, and were erected on site by crane.
“Stacked plank construction was once common for warehouse floors,” says Chris Allen of Allen & Maurer Architects in Penticton. “For this project we’ve revived and updated the concept, creating a roof that makes use of a locally abundant material with low embodied energy. It makes for a beautiful ceiling too.”
The roof combines 2x4’s, 2x6’s and 2x12’s into four-foot wide panels, which are able to clear span 30 feet.
The new Askew’s store will also feature extensive glazing to allow use of daylight, natural ventilation, and the re-use of waste heat from the refrigeration equipment.
This will allow the building to run on 50 per cent of the energy of a typical grocery store.
Opening is slated for late spring 2012.