Western Sydney Airport Visitor Centre

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Type

Commercial

Structure

  • Lightweight
  • Mass
  • Region
    NSW, Aus
  • Levels
    1 level
  • Status
    Constructed

The benefits of mass timber structures quickly became evident to the project team working on the Western Sydney Airport Visitor Centre (WSAVC). Not only would a prefabricated mass timber solution support the short construction program, it was cost-effective whilst providing a natural timber finish for a sensory visitor experience. 

Wesbeam’s Tall Timber Building Systems team worked closely with engineers Taylor Thomson Whitting (TTW) and Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) manufacturers XLam to develop the structure’s Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) columns and beams, overlaid with XLam’s CLT roof panels. 

The WSAVC has a distinctive design with simple geometric rules governing an outer and inner circle of columns. The structure was divided into wedges to form an array of timber beams. Each LVL beam was designed and manufactured to support the radial roof geometry. Complexities of beam to column connections were accommodated within individually designed steel plate brackets, which enabled time efficient installation.

The beams cantilever beyond the façade, providing a generous roof overhang to the multiple entrances, and the metal sheet roof provides protection from the weather. The LVL columns and beams were clear finished to showcase the natural beauty of Wesbeam LVL.

The Western Sydney Airport Visitor Centre provides an immersive learning experience. Digital exhibits guide the visitor through the story of how the airport will take shape and provide the perfect venue for business, community and school groups interested in watching the airport come to life by 2026.

More information on Wesbeam LVL mass columns and beams can be found here.

Author:
Wesbeam
Date:
Apr 28, 2020