Client
Chengdu Gaotou Construction Development
Architect
Beehive/Sichuan Provincial Architectural Design & Research Institute
Principal Contractor
SKF Construction
Our Service
Structural Engineer
Construction Supervision
Size
7,000 sf.
Location
Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Status
Completed 2022

Jiaozi Financial Street Restaurant

Client
Chengdu Gaotou Construction Development
Architect
Beehive/Sichuan Provincial Architectural Design & Research Institute
Principal Contractor
SKF Construction
Our Service
Structural Engineer
Construction Supervision
Size
7,000 sf.
Location
Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Status
Completed 2022

A Complex Timber Roof in China

The N4-3 Restaurant at the Jiaozi Financial Street development is a boutique eatery featuring a complex timber gridshell. It complements the surrounding business district, and its open form creates a welcoming feel to the structure.

We worked through detailed design for the gridshell roof, as well as connections in the timber and steel frame. A total of 400 fabrication drawings were produced for each element of the gridshell using a parametric model, with teamwork from three continents to bring this beautiful project to fruition.

In 2023, the restaurant was listed as one of the World's Most Beautiful Restaurants by Prix Versailles.


Engineering & Dfma

Design softwares such as Rhino, Grasshopper, and Speckle were used extensively in the modeling and planning of this roof, or the design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA). As a parametric object, each glulam member was created to evolve during the project phases, to match design changes. The entire model went through a reference, base, detail, and fabrication stage, reflecting the design process from initial to complex.

To maintain fabrication precision and standards, the original concept model was re-built. Pre-coordination was essential to ensure that a quick fabrication led to short erection times. To meet this goal, each cross connection was designed in the same direction for ease of install. Additionally, the steel columns were fixed before we came on board as engineer, so it was imperative to work with the provided positions. The roof geometry had to be rationalized to allow single curved beams that still maintained doubly curved top-bottom surfaces in keeping with the architect’s design intent.

Installation

Allowing for all these challenges ahead of time, erection went smoothly, and the client is now enjoying a spacious, warm facility that patrons love to visit.



Awards

2023 World's Most Beautiful Restaurants
Prix Versailles