Award

Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum by Guy Wilson-Roberts randy vanderveen S cheduled to open in the Spring of 2015, the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum has already been making architectural waves as a world-class educational and research facility located in the heart of Peace Country in Alberta. Maybe it is the unique location of the museum, on a 10-acre site of former farmland between Wembley and Grand Prairie in northwestern Alberta? Or maybe it is the dramatic way the build- ing design rises out of the surrounding landscape? Or maybe there is something about the dinosaurs themselves (the museum is named after the well-known Canadian paleontologist) that has every- one involved in the project excited? "This has been a very special proj- ect for our firm," says Martin Baron, partner, Teeple Architects in a press release, "one that we have poured our hearts and souls into, and one that we are extremely excited to see realized." Russell Bridgeman, senior construc- tion manager at PCL Construction Man- agement Inc., agrees with the sentiment, adding that the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum is a "phenomenal project to be involved in." The museum will feature exten- sive gallery spaces, two classrooms, a 64-seat theatre, research and collections areas, a restaurant and a gift shop on a three-level design. High windows and spacious interior with its unique timber truss design create a truly exceptional museum experience. But that description doesn't quite do justice to the design itself and the attention to detail required to realize the designer's vision. And as with any grand vision, there were a number of construction chal- lenges. "The building's location, its shape and geometry," says Bridgeman from PCL when asked about those challenges. "The building has numerous corners and slopes with only a couple at 90 degrees." PCL used Building Informat ion Modeling (BIM) to manage the unique geometry. "Each team used a form of modelling we were able to bring together in one collaborative model, allowing us to check geometry, con- nections and transitions resulting in minimal errors during the construction of the concrete foundations and slabs, structural steel, and Glulam timber framing. The attention to detail and care taken by the crews is second to none," says Bridgeman. The 33,000-square-foot building makes extensive use of windows and natural light, but it is the timber beams and struts that really stand out, and the design is a reference to the dinosaur bones in the museum and the Pipestone Creek dinosaur bonebed – a massive gravesite of the Pachyrhinosaurus, a plant eating dinosaur, dating back 73- million years. "The Glulam timber framing nodes are incredible," says Bridgeman. "They are constructed out of wood connecting up to seven timber beams on one node." These nodes were part of the design brief but were refined and re-imagined by Fast + Epp, the structural engineers for the project, along with affiliated design-build company StructureCraft Builders, that was responsible for the timber framing components that define the building. StructureCraft modelled the nodes with its parametric 3D com- puter tools, and created the complex contours using digitally cut plywood layers. To carry the large forces, the nodes are reinforced with carefully ori- ented screws up to five-feet long. "It was completely free form, with the timber going at different angles," explains Gerald Epp, partner Fast + Epp and president StructureCraft Builders, "How do you crash all these members together and successfully resolve it visually as well as structurally?" Doing so was a collaborative process starting with the initial brief from the architect, which then went through the StructureCraft modelled the nodes using parametric 3D computer tools. Photos courtesy Fast + Epp. october 2014 /59 Philip J. currie Dinosaur Museum

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