Fraser Mills Presentation Centre
Design-Build Subcontractor
A Celebration of Craft and History
Nestled along the Fraser River in South Coquitlam, the Fraser Mills Presentation Centre is the gateway to a transformative 96-acre mixed-use development. Celebrating the site’s history as one of the world’s largest sawmills, the Centre uses engineered timber to honour local craft while embracing modern sustainability.
Designed by Patkau Architects, the building integrates a master plan info hub and two display homes under a sweeping, free-flowing roof form. Its objective is to create an iconic destination that merges heritage with forward-thinking design, welcoming visitors to discover the future of Fraser Mills. The architectural expression underscores adaptability, with the building designed for eventual disassembly and re-use as a community hub. Exposed Douglas Fir elements, drawn from local sources, embody both the area’s lumber legacy and a bold vision for sustainable urban growth.
Design & Engineering
StructureCraft served as the structural engineer of record and timber design-builder, working closely with the architectural team and client to shape the Centre’s distinctive, undulating roof and exposed timber framing. By leveraging parametric modeling software (Rhino, Grasshopper, and Karamba), the team rationalized 26 uniquely angled glulam frames and their splayed columns to achieve a ruled roof geometry.
Spanning up to 70ft between short cantilevered columns and 33ft-high splayed supports, these frames incorporate innovative cantilevered glulam columns that also function as the primary lateral force-resisting system—likely the first such use in British Columbia. The complex, curvilinear shape was resolved into straightforward plywood and sawn lumber assemblies by iterative digital analysis.
Fabrication & Installation
All timber elements were fabricated within 500 miles of the site to prioritize local sourcing and minimize embodied carbon. StructureCraft oversaw CNC machining of the glulam billets and CLT panels, carefully pre-fitting steel connections and assembly hardware for efficient on-site erection. Glulam frames were pre-assembled in manageable sections and delivered to site in a just-in-time sequence, reducing craning time and on-site labor. Prefabricated purlin panels—incorporating joists, plywood, and insulation—enabled rapid placement over the frames, maintaining the roof’s precise geometric continuity.
Once delivered, the glulam columns, frames, and panels were erected in a coordinated, systematic workflow to complete the superstructure in approximately six weeks, demonstrating the speed, accuracy, and aesthetic quality achievable through mass timber’s off-site fabrication advantage.