WHISTLER ROUNDHOUSE PATIO
Location: Whistler, BC
Project Type: Buildings
About This Project
Due to its location high above civilization, the patio had to be built with durability in mind to stand up to the extreme conditions of wind and snow. A wood design was chosen due to these factors for not only its durability to withstand the conditions but also because of its beauty. As the primary structural material of the Whistler Roundhouse Patio, wood is showcased in all aspects of the design, from the floor to the overall supporting structure.
ISL designed the structure to withstand the harshest conditions, the snow load for the deck structure is equivalent to 4.3m or over 14ft worth of snow. Using Douglas Fir octagonal sections for the columns as well as a configuration of crossing columns allowed for the heavy snow load sharing to be dispersed between columns. The crossing columns also form the lateral system to resist both wind and earthquake forces.


For exterior wood applications, vertical fasteners are often known to be the nail in the coffin when it comes to water ingress into the core of the wood member. To address these complicated issues, ISL turned to its true Canadian roots by using real ice hockey pucks, both regular size and mini as spacers in the connecting elements thus avoiding rot and water ingress into the structure and prolonging its service life. The connections were also specifically designed with fasteners into the side of members and in portions of the members sheltered from rain and snow are the alternative to vertical fasteners.