The B201 redevelopment transformed a 1970s University of Auckland building into one of New Zealand’s most sustainable academic environments, extending its life by at least 50 years.
Delivered under the Government’s ‘Shovel-Ready’ funding programme, the project met a challenging programme despite pandemic-related supply chain disruption, sustained wet weather, and the complexity of working within a tightly constrained, occupied campus.
At the heart of the project is a new 30×30m column-free timber atrium. The landmark feature includes a hybrid glulam and steel sawtooth roof structure, featuring Ara Moana and Pātiki Tukutuku patterns designed for the university by cultural consultants Haumi in alignment with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. The roof encloses a pre-existing outdoor plaza transformed into a spectacular atrium, creating a naturally ventilated, skylit space forming the new gateway to the university’s cultural precinct.
The roof’s distinctive zig-zag geometry presented several structural opportunities, and early design options for all-timber and hybrid steel and timber solutions were explored, with a hybrid approach selected to achieve the span necessary to retain an existing large lecture theatre below. The span also provides the spatial flexibility needed for this event space. Steel is sandwiched between timber facings and steel fixings are recessed within the depth of the timber rafters, to achieve a finish that celebrates timber’s natural qualities.
One of the key things to get right in timber design is the connections, where there is potential for considerable complexity and cost, often only realised in the latter stages of design and construction. Recognising this, the design team opted for a simple steel UB valley beam which spans the entire width of the atrium, with exposed timber rafters forming the duo-pitched roof between, triangulated to form a rigid diaphragm. Steel cross-bracing provides the lateral load resisting system in the transverse north-south direction, with steel moment frames in the longitudinal direction.
The main span of the roof is 34m with 5.8m ‘wing truss’ cantilevers at either end. Intermediate steel pitched rafters are located at regular centres along the length of the steel valley beam, providing in-plane rigidity. Steel and timber elements work compositely to provide vertical and horizontal truss action for lateral loads acting on the roof.
The glulam roof modules were fabricated off-site, with a prototype connection produced early to assist with refining the detailed design and ensuring the necessary tolerances (max 5mm across the entire roof in any direction) were achieved. Completed timber and steel roof modules were installed at night using the site’s tower crane, optimising th+H134e construction programme.
The timber roof now forms the visible expression of the university’s sustainability-led brief, which underpins the low carbon design response to the wider project, New Zealand’s highest scoring Green Star-rated building. B201 repurposes an existing 9,000sqm structure and provides an exemplar of generating substantial cost savings whilst meeting world-leading sustainability goals.
Timber species/applications:
- Roof Structure: Glulam Rafters: New Zealand Pine (Radiata)
- Atrium Interior Finish: FSC® Southland Maple Beech timber panelling is robust, durable, and provides acoustic absorption.
