Case Study

Chinese Methodist Church

  • Location
    Merivale, Christchurch
  • Client
    Chinese Methodist Church
  • Architect
    Opus Architecture
  • Structural Engineer
    Opus
  • Builder
    Hann Construction
  • Date
    Early 2015
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Rebuilding after the Quake

Our Challenge
The Chinese Methodist Church was completely rebuilt following the Canterbury earthquakes. The roof structure consists of four large glulam rafter beams with a steel tension rod running underneath, and glulam purlins connecting these. There are also extensive areas of vertical fins, providing a feature to internal and external cladding.

The Techlam Solution
Our team worked closely with the engineer and construction company. Due to the size of the rafter beams, extensive pre-cutting and rebating was completed in the factory to speed up installation on site. Other details included epoxy fitting of the steel struts supporting the tension rods. The vertical fins were supplied pre-cut to specific angles, with pocket slots for the internal brackets.

Products Used
01

External Timber Fins

A visual appearance grade glulam was used to create the timber fins on the building’s exterior. While creating a striking aesthetic to the building, the fins also controlled the amount of sunlight entering the building, providing a stable temperature inside.

02

Purlins

Running between the bowstrings and the timber fins are the purlins, which blend in with the plywood ceiling, creating a warm feel and providing great acoustics for the church environment.

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