Glue-laminated timber (Glulam), solid-sawn heavy timbers, and wooden accents are featured in this vibrant exterior evening view of the 33,750 square meter Richmond Olympic OvalGlue-laminated timber (Glulam), solid-sawn heavy timbers, and wooden accents are featured in this vibrant exterior evening view of the 33,750 square meter Richmond Olympic Oval

Richmond Olympic Oval

Location: Richmond, B.C.
Architect: CannonDesign
Completion: 2008
Photo credit: KK Law

Size
33,750 square metres

Design-Build
StructureCraft (for WoodWave)

Structural Engineer
Fast + Epp

General Contractor
Dominion Fairmile Construction Ltd.

Structural systems
Light frame
Low rise
Panelized
Post + beam
Prefabricated

Project materials
Glue-laminated timber (Glulam)
Lumber
Plywood
Solid-sawn heavy timber

Species
Douglas-fir
Spruce-Pine-Fir
Yellow cedar

Long-spanning structure is an unprecedented achievement

The Richmond Olympic Oval features one of the largest wood roof spans in the world, which was fabricated with hybrid glue-laminated (glulam) timber-steel arches and 452 WoodWave panels that used wood salvaged from pine beetle-killed forests.

Architecture set to soar

Despite its size of more than six football fields, this is architecture set to soar. Its roof resembles wing-like curves with individual “feather tips” extending beyond the massive timber structure—a design inspired by the image of a heron.

Located on the bank of the Fraser River in Richmond, immediately south of Vancouver, the Oval housed a 400-metre speed skating track with enough room for 8,000 spectators during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. After the Games, it was converted to use for numerous sports—ice, court, and track and field. The building is arranged on three levels: an underground parking garage; a ground-oriented entry, service, and amenity level and the vaulted sports hall on the top level.

Span enormous distance with 2x4s

The structure comprises composite wood-steel arches that span 100 metres, while between those arches are novel prefabricated WoodWave structural panels, made from lumber that’s arranged in a geometric wave pattern.

They were cut using custom computer numerically controlled (CNC) machinery and are made of three- to six-metre pieces of lumber spanning the 12.8 metres between the arches. The naturally straight V-shaped sections were bent into an arch using a custom-built hydraulic press and tied with a steel rod to keep the curved shape.

By using standard wood products supplied directly from B.C. mills, including lumber affected by the mountain pine beetle infestation, the facility demonstrates what can be achieved using a simple, sustainable, and abundant material. In addition to using wood products obtained from local forests, wood ceilings and panelling were milled from trees felled on the site.

“We’ve spanned this enormous distance with panels using ordinary two-by-fours, the same kind you can find in every house in Canada.”

GERRY EPP, FAST + EPP

Expert interview

Meet the architects and engineers behind the development of the Oval and their inspiration for choosing wood for this project

Exterior evening image of glue-laminated timber (Glulam), solid-sawn heavy timber, and wooden accents as featured in the expansive exterior entrance roof of the 33,750 square meter Richmond Olympic Oval
Photo credit: KK Law

Case study: Richmond Olympic Oval

Learn more about the Richmond Olympic Oval.

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