Engineering a bespoke school hall

24 April 2013

Image courtesy of
SARM Architects.

Woolacotts Consulting Engineers is helping SARM Architects to deliver a bold solution for a new centre at Marist College.

The Montagne Centre will contain a multipurpose hall, including a stage, rooftop playing field, associated amenities, and a three storey teaching facility. The creative design meets the client’s requirements in a limited space, and Woolacotts has been engaged to provide the structural and civil engineering consultancy services to deliver the architect’s vision.

“Halls need large column-free spans. Typically these structures are straightforward because they only need to support a metal deck roof,” said Kevin Christesen, Principal Engineer.

"However, the rooftop playing field requires a roof slab, which makes designing the support structure far more challenging.”

The structural system is a composite steel beam and slab which has the benefits of tight long term deflection control, required to allow the surface fall on the playing field to be minimised, and to allow unpropped construction over the double storey space.

“This solution provides both performance and cost benefits for our client,” said Kevin.

Other challenges include three metre cantilevered structures to support the classrooms. The underside of the slab will be exposed, so conventional formed reinforced concrete structures will be used.