An award winning metal roof BC project that caught international attention

The VIU Shellfish Research Centre in Deep Bay won the 2011 Metalmag Architectural Award in the Roofing Category. That does not happen often. The building is 13,200 square feet of curved metal roof and composite cladding sitting on a remote site on Vancouver Island, designed by McFarland Marceau Architecture. We built the roof. Specifically, we curved the panels on site over structural timber ribs to match the architect's wave-like design, then sealed the whole building tight against coastal salt spray and winter rain.

An award winning metal roof BC project does not start with the metal. It starts with understanding what the structure below can do, and what the environment will throw at it. At Deep Bay, we had timber ribs that had been set to shape by the builders. Our job was to fabricate panels that would follow those curves precisely, then install them in a way that would stand up to what the coast dishes out. Radius seam panels are not off-the-shelf. Each one curves in three dimensions, and each seam has to shed water and handle movement without leaking.

Why an award for a metal roof matters

Awards like this one recognize buildings where the metal envelope does more than protect the structure underneath. The Deep Bay project won because the curved roof is the building's visible statement. It says something about what goes on inside. Shellfish research happens in a place designed to flow, to curve with the water and the work. The geometry is not decorative. It is functional.

To get that result, the roof had to be fabricated to tolerances tighter than standard residential or commercial work. Every panel needed to fit the timber ribs precisely. Any gap compounds down the line. We custom-fabricated the panels and installed them on site, which meant moving equipment and crews out to Deep Bay, a remote location on Vancouver Island. There is no room for rework on a project like that.

The foundation waterproofing had to be equally solid. Curved metal roofs and composite cladding are only as good as the systems underneath. Water does not care how good your metal is if it finds a way through the building envelope at the base. We handled the full roofing package and coordinated closely with the waterproofing trades to make sure the building would shed water from the top of the curved panels all the way down to grade.

What makes metal roofing hold up on the coast

Vancouver Island gets heavy winter rain, wind storms, and salt spray that eats through inferior materials. A metal roof that lasts here has to be installed correctly and maintained. Standing seam and radius seam systems give you that durability when the installation is sound. Flashings, seams, and penetrations are where water gets in. Every one has to be thought through before the first panel goes on.

The composite cladding at Deep Bay works with the curved metal roof to create a unified building envelope. The two systems have to coordinate. If your cladding contractor and your roofing contractor are not talking to each other, water will find the gap between them. On a custom project like Deep Bay, that conversation happens constantly.

The award for this building is recognition that the work was done correctly. The aesthetic is part of it, but so is the engineering and the execution. Nelson Roofing has been doing commercial and residential roofing, custom sheet metal, and architectural cladding since 1980. We are RCABC-accredited. We work on projects from residential homes on the Sunshine Coast to major institutional builds across Vancouver Island. The Deep Bay project just happened to draw the attention of international judges, which was a good reminder of what careful fabrication work can produce.

Planning a metal roof project

If you have a commercial or residential project in mind, call us. We will come out, look at the site, talk through what you are trying to achieve, and give you a detailed written estimate with a full list of materials and scope. No hidden items. Reach us at 250-336-8088.