2017 Archive : Calvary Chapel

Project Details

Fabric 1

Commercial 95
Producer: Gale Pacific USA Inc.
Supplier: OTHER

Engineer Name 1
Nick Keizer

Engineer Company 1
RNK Structural Engineering

Design Name
Josh Henderson

Design Company
Shade Industries

Project Manager Company
SHADE Industries

Installation Company
SHADE Industries

Please describe the project specifications

Two large reinforced support columns, fifteen (15) wall brackets, and two large structural cables support five (5) large custom shade sails over a newly remodeled church patio.

What was the purpose of this project? What did the client request?

Calvary Chapel is not where typical church is located. The Pastor of the fellowship had found a unique location at a vacant portion of an open-air shopping center and decided it was a perfect cornerstone to build his roots. Unfortunately, the front of his building did not provide much in terms of a functional or comfortable outdoor gathering area. An entire remodel of the patio, including changes to the bordering fire lane, began in early 2015. The client was adamant about having a functional patio that would serve as an gathering area for congregation before and after services, or special church events. They also wanted to draw attention to the entry, as it was previously difficult to locate upon first approach.

What is unique or complex about the project?

This project went through a 3 months of conceptual design review before a final design was agreed upon. Designing the two reinforced support columns proved to be challenging. Although one structural column would have sufficed to support the 5/8” cable spanning between them and the five large sails that attached at various heights, the deflection due to the extreme forces pulling on each anchor point would make the columns look deformed and make it difficult to tension the sails.. Therefore, additional support on each of the columns was design to achieve a completely plumb column. The fifteen brackets also proved challenging, as each had to be designed individually and required crawl space access to install all supports.

What were the results of the project?

The shade sails over the remodeled patio really make this environment comfortable and enjoyable. The congregation uses the space frequently for a variety of events. Pastor Brad has asked us to look at other areas of his church (which are proving difficult in their own designs). These shade sails are truly an architectural accent to what would otherwise be an ordinary shopping center in the desert southwest!

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