The new Mount Carmel Spirituality Centre outside Edmonton, AB consists of two new buildings with a total area of approximately 78,000 SF including a chapel, a library, dining and kitchen facilities, a 40-unit guesthouse, offices and meeting rooms, and underground parking. A longspan truss bridge connects the two buildings.
The above-grade portions of the project are built using Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT). CLT panels, ranging from 80mm to 280mm thicknesses, are used as roof slabs, floor slabs, and wall assemblies to support both gravity and lateral loading. The panels are CNC-cut to custom shapes and configurations (including allowance for services) and were shipped pre-fabricated to the site for effortless installation. The CLT structure is exposed to the interior creating warmth and ambient light on varying surfaces, and planes. The main chapel glulam posts and beams interface with CNC cut forms reference gothic proportions and curvature.
There were many benefits to using CLT panels for this project, including decreased installation time and increased sustainability: using CLT panels eliminated the need to use concrete elements (a known source of CO2 emissions) as well as a being a carbon-sequestering renewable material.