Scion Hub: A three storey seismically resilient timber diagrid

Abstract

The new three storey Hub building at Scion’s campus in Rotorua is an innovative approach to providing seismic resilience in timber. A demonstration project for Scion’s work in the timber industry it utilises several forms of engineered timber, including an LVL diagrid to provide gravity support and bracing at the perimeter of the floorplates to provide 100% of the building's lateral resistance. This paper discusses the challenges of selecting the appropriate foundation system on a site at risk of liquefaction or geothermal deformations, how to make a rigid diagrid ductile for large earthquake forces or ground deformations, and the interesting forms of timber detailing employed. Design and testing of the energy dissipation and timber node components provided some challenges, with good learnings for future projects.