Quadra Kitchen

CFB Comox Quadra Kitchen, Comox, BC CFB Comox Quadra Kitchen, Comox, BC

When we were asked to restore usability to this uniquely shaped dining and kitchen facility for the Department of National Defence, RJC faced site challenges such as a high level of exposure to elements near an oceanfront.

Our client wished to restore usability to a five-year old building that had suffered considerable water ingress as a result of poor curtain wall assembly and roof leaks. The Quadra Kitchen is a single-storey dining and food preparation facility that accommodates over 300 people at one sitting. It is used by cadets of the Department of National Defence. Our challenge was to create a protective barrier between the most caustic environmental conditions, which emanate from the Straight of Georgia, and the building's habitable spaces.

The area of the building that is most vulnerable to elements is the curved curtain wall assembly. Originally, sunshades that were supported by structural steel became severely corroded due to their exposure to salt air. The structure for these sunshades acted as a kind of bridge that carried water from the exterior and down the back-sloped structural steel, eventually inundating the dining area.

In the winter, it was not uncommon to have a 1" deep pool of water in the dining area, mostly the result of the water ingress through the curtain wall. The curtain wall assembly was situated above an interior- and exterior-exposed concrete pony wall. Because the original transition betwen the curtain wall and concrete was not properly detailed, and the concrete wall was exposed on both sides, water was able to leak in at tie locations, through cracks in the concrete, and also at the transition.

The building was afforded protection with RJC's solution: to install properly detailed curtain wall assembly and an exterior insulated wall system. The client not only obtained renewed use of the building but also met its vision on budget.

Architect: 1 CAD
Owner: Defence Construction Canada