Lunenburg Municipal Building

BMR was the lead structural consultant on this 17,000 square foot, wood framed government administration building in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. The building includes council chambers for the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg, office & meeting space, staff workstations, and a mechanical mezzanine integrated into the roof structure. Among the building’s defining features is a unique light well tower above the main entrance that was constructed of structural steel and laterally restrained by connecting to the wood roof diaphragm. The overall building frame consists of a complex system of timber roof trusses to accommodate the unique architectural building design, which includes wood-framed shear walls for lateral resistance.

BMR’s services included concept & schematic design, design development (collaborative BIM model), structural design and preparation of construction documents & NMS specifications, and tender & construction administration.

Key Points

• Challenging roof girder truss design to accommodate the various shapes and angles included in the architectural vaulted ceiling designs.
• Structural steel frame for the 50-foot high light well at the main entrance. Various elevations & shapes in the architectural design required careful detailing to connect the steel frame into the wood roof sheathing for lateral resistance.

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