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Behind the Project: Structural Engineering on the Sam Centre

Updated: Sep 19


Exterior photo of the Sam Centre in Calgary.

Exterior photo, courtesy of Michael Wach.

The Calgary Stampede’s Sam Centre opened to the public on May 29th, featuring artifacts and exhibits showcasing monumental years of Stampede history. Entuitive provided structural engineering and building envelope services on the 30,000 sq. ft. building, which was designed with a barn-like feel to reflect historic prairie architecture.


In our two-part feature, we spoke with Senior Associate Nick Berci and Senior Engineer Bryden Dyck, to talk about the structural engineering services our team provided on this project.

Thanks for sitting down with us today, Nick and Bryden. Can you tell us about the structural services we provided on the Sam Centre?

Nick: On the structural side, we have been working on the Sam Centre since 2013. It’s been a unique experience seeing the project go through several lives. Entuitive is the Structural Engineer of Record on the Centre, where we provided structural steel framing, foundations, and wood design.

Interior photo of the Sam Centre in Calgary, featuring museum exhibits.

Interior photo featuring the Calgary Stampede artifacts and exhibits, courtesy of Michael Wach .


It must be rewarding to see the project complete and open to the public now. What were some of the technical challenges of the project?


Nick: The wood design of the Centre was quite ambitious. The architect Diamond Schmitt’s design encompassed the wood framing to be as light and airy as possible; however, it’s not always possible to achieve long-span wood frames with these attributes. Ultimately, we decided to use a hybrid structure steel and wood system. In some cases, what appears to be a wood beam is actually a steel beam shrouded in wood, allowing us to meet the architectural design intent while maintaining structural integrity.

Bryden: To comment further, two of the larger challenges on this project were the large overhangs and the desire for no visible structure within them. As Nick mentioned, this led to the incorporation of a hybrid steel-timber structure. The overhangs are now supported by steel beams embedded within the insulation space, with the soffit directly beneath, effectively concealing the structural elements.


Additionally, the need for a column-free space in the gallery area guided us toward a steel solution. We used a tied steel truss system instead of multiple wood columns within that space.


Aerial view of Sam Centre in Calgary taken by a drone.

Drone footage, courtesy of Michael Wach .


What was your favourite part of the project?


Bryden: It’s always incredible to walk into your finished project. You see the complex joints that are now effectively hidden, with only you knowing the effort and intricacies that went into it. The “lantern” pop-up also looked really great with its visual aesthetics.


Nick: I certainly agree that the popped up “lantern” area in the central gathering space is quite impressive. Bryden makes a good point that while the architect aimed for simplicity in its outward appearance, achieving that simplicity required a lot of complex work behind the scenes. It’s also great that the Centre is open all year long for visitors to see the museum’s artifacts.

 

Thank you so much, Nick and Bryden for talking to us about this exciting project! To learn more about the project, reach out to Nick or Bryden.

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