“The Shed” – Multipurpose Building ANU Kioloa Coastal Campus
Built using site won Blackbutt and Ironbark trees felled approximately twelve months before the start of construction, the building is comprised of two large seminar rooms and associated facilities.
The main roof structure is expressed from within the building and consists of large span proprietary double trusses (F27 Hardwood) in the primary direction with pine purlins (MGP10) supporting the roof sheeting. In order to minimise the visual impacts of the bottom chord restraints, tensioned steel rods were used.
A ‘central canopy’ provides a sheltered space between the two conference rooms, complete with a lean-to roof which utilised timber lintels (F7 Hardwoods) and pine rafters (MGP10). The architectural intent of this canopy was to maximise the aesthetic appeal of the space, where the roof appears to be supported by trees. The construction of this canopy appropriately integrates aesthetic features of the natural landscape, as the collar-tie rafter system used battened timber lengths as compression struts that acted at the ‘branches’ of the trees.