Most of the 7 million visitors to vacation in Branson, Mo., in the past have been families, couples, and smaller meeting groups. This is changing now as thousands of conventioneers will attend meetings at the huge new Branson Landing and Convention Center. Unlike most convention facilities, which are often built of steel or concrete, the Branson Center is a landmark of structural glued laminated timber.

The popularity of structural glued laminated timber (glulam) is increasing in commercial and institutional construction. According to the American Institute of Timber Construction (AITC), about 30 percent of all glulam beams and trusses manufactured in the United States are used in commercial and institutional construction, a sizeable increase during the last five years. In addition to its beauty, the increasing success of glulam can be attributed to its engineered strength, fire resistance, versatility, environmental friendliness, and cost effectiveness.

Photo by Brian Gassel/tvsdesign

According to Walter P Moore engineers, “Most rewarding to the design team are the positive responses [and] unexpected impression that the wood leaves behind, fitting so naturally as one looks out to the Ozark landscape from the main concourse.”

Aesthetics and function
Nowhere is the aesthetic attribute more evident than at the new Branson Landing and Convention Center. Offering a 46,000-square-foot exhibit hall, a 25,000-square-foot ballroom, and several spacious meeting rooms, the 220,000-square-foot convention center is a showcase of exposed structural timber. Its dominant feature is the long concourse forming the building’s façade framed primarily with exposed structural glulam. According to TVS Architects, “The undulating façade of the east elevation is inherited from Lake Taneycomo, which offered us the chance to create a dynamic and monumental façade that stretches over 800 feet and binds the Convention Center and hotel into a unified architectural expression.”

©Ken Giese/Courtesy Walter P Moore Photo by Brian Gassel/tvsdesign The innovative structural system covering the concourse includes 29 distinctive V-braces, made from 15 inch-diameter circular timber columns, which march along the curved concourse. Using pre-finished wood in the public spaces saved the contractor hours of constructing and applying finishes. For example, on the Branson Convention Center, the Douglas fir glulam beams and roof decking were pre-finished with the desired stain, making the delivered product the finished product.

However, not only does the material serve aesthetics, but the glulam system is highly functional, as well. The innovative structural system covering the concourse includes 29 distinctive V-braces, made from 15-inch-diameter circular timber columns, which march along the curved concourse. The columns support large glulam beams spanning as much as 80 feet. Exposed heavy timber decking forms the roof and finished ceiling of the structure, enhancing its beauty. The wood elements blend together harmoniously with each other and with the natural environment to create a warm, inviting place for conventioneers and visitors to Branson.

The architect points out that the primary reason for specifying glulam is that the material provided a way to tie the building’s appeal to the natural setting of the Ozarks. It created a contemporary and unique building design for the Branson area. The use of wood conveys an honest and warm expression that in a hospitality facility will leave visitors with an inviting and memorable experience.

According to engineers at Walter P Moore, utilizing pre-finished wood in the highly finished public spaces saved the contractor hours of constructing and applying finishes. For example, the Douglas fir glulam beams and roof decking were pre-finished with the desired stain, making the delivered product the finished product.

TVS Architects commented on the use of a glulam structural system stressing that the honesty and integrity of using a structural system that is the building’s “image generator,” as well as the finished ceiling of the main entry and concourse spaces, had considerable cost benefits that worked with the modest budget.

Conclusion
According to the architect of the new center, “Timber is a unifying element in the building that creates intimately scaled spaces and elements, such as entry canopies, the bridge roof to the parking garage, and the hotel pool bar.” Walter P Moore engineers report, “Most rewarding to the design team are the positive responses of the city and its visitors of the unexpected impression that the wood leaves behind, fitting so naturally as one looks out to the Ozark landscape from the main concourse.”

Donald Jaenicke is the communications director for the American Institute of Timber Construction. He can be reached at info@aitc-glulam.org.