1 23
photos:
In keeping with the overall plaza design concept, finely detailed AESS walkways evoke rows of arbours found at the local wineries. Security fences were created as vine-growing trellises by suspending recycled plastic wood on steel tension rods spanning between the main AESS members. The buildings are wrapped in different cladding types: perforated metal growing screens, curtain wall glazing printed with maple leaf ceramic frit patterns, precast insulated concrete panels, standing seam zinc panels, and natural stone veneer. All the steel framed inspection canopies are edged in aluminum sunshades with central skylights over each lane, evoking rows of greenhouses found throughout the region.
The central customs building for Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA), and Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) includes administrative offices, commercial inspection warehouse, detention cells, and public waiting areas. This building is a two storey, entirely steel framed structure with a mechanical penthouse, and is divided into four separate blocks by 100mm seismic joints. The second floor and penthouse floor consist of composite steel beams with concrete slab on composite steel deck. The roof, including an extensive green roof, consists of steel deck on steel beams. The lateral load resisting system is made up of conventional steel moment -resisting frames. Three feature stairs are located adjacent to double-height public waiting areas which showcase the beauty of the Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel.
A highly aggressive design and construction schedule demanded an early tender of the primary structural steel members, while architectural details were still under development. Secondary steel members were added to the contract based on the steel fabricator's unit rates as the design progressed. The design team worked hand-in-hand with the steel detailers and fabricators to expedite quick decisions and response times.
The following factors made structural steel the ideal choice for this project:
- In keeping with the overall design concept, elements of the plaza such as the canopies, walkways and fences were designed to evoke the Niagara Region with its strong winery and green house industries. Using Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel, we were able to achieve finely detailed elements using closely spaced framing, delicate steel sections and steel tension cables.
- The use of steel facilitated the aggressive design and construction schedule.
- Future flexibility for interior layout changes in this 50-year plus facility made structural steel, and specifically moment-resisting frames ideal to provide a bracing-free floor layout.
|