Bishop Selwyn Chapel case study

A unique solution with a deflection profile, using tension springs and mechanical wheel rollers

product specifications: ah!38 motorised sliding hexarail with 11 panels of 6m height
glazing: IGU 10mm tempered + 18mm air + 10mm tempered
window dimensions: 12200 x 5550mm = 68m²
weight: 310kg
add-ons: mullions with architectural bronze cladding

Bishop Selwyn Chapel from Fearon Hay Architects is a new addition to the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Auckland. Located at the back of the property, it provides a place of worship in the Cathedral garden for the un-choral Eucharists.

Its gilded ceiling plane extends from the original brick and reinforced concrete neo-Gothic chancel, over a basalt paved floor plane. With a rising roofline, the fully glazed 200sqm chapel opens to the landscape, the century-old oak trees and the eclectic architectures of the precinct.

This massive, suspended structure stands over 5.5m tall panoramah! glass walls with bronze-cladded reinforced central mullions calculated for wind loads of 1500Pa.
Seven of its nine panes slide along a hexarail track, ultimately opening the chapel to the outdoor space.

Given the size and shape of the roof and its considerable oscillations, panoramah! engineered a unique solution.
The solution, with a deflection profile, used tension springs and mechanical wheel rollers in the upper frame. This design made it possible to accommodate fluctuations and to reposition the roof in its original position when moving the glass panes.

More photos here