This atrium is not an entryway. It is the heart of the building.
Rising 35 feet high, the Southeast Event Centre Atrium forms the main entrance and focal point of a new civic destination in Manitoba – designed to host concerts, tradeshows, community events, and the region’s largest ice sports venue.
This is a space built for people. And engineered for performance.
Delivered by Cornerstone Timberframes, the atrium demonstrates how timber frame commercial buildings can operate at civic scale – confidently, efficiently, and without compromise.
Mass Timber Commercial Performance
This project sets a clear benchmark for Timber Frame Commercial Buildings in Canada.
At its core is advanced Heavy Timber Construction, engineered to handle large spans, heavy loads, and continuous public use:
-
a 35’ high atrium volume defining the primary circulation space
-
massive roof beams measuring 12 inches wide and 54 inches deep
-
clear structural spans reaching up to 59 feet
-
individual timber members weighing up to 8,300 lbs each
These elements are not decorative.
They are structural, load-bearing, and purpose-built.
This is mass timber performing at infrastructure scale – precise, durable, and visually calm.
Precision Where Timber Meets Steel
Large-scale timber construction demands coordination.
Throughout the project, Cornerstone Timberframes maintained close collaboration with the structural steel supplier to ensure that all wood-to-steel connections integrated smoothly.
The result is a structure where timber and steel work together seamlessly – structurally exact and visually uninterrupted.
No exposed compromises. No visual noise.
Just clarity.
Sustainable by Design
Performance extends beyond structure.
The atrium’s timber components store 78 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent, reinforcing the role of mass timber in sustainable commercial construction.
This is Sustainable Architecture with measurable impact – reducing embodied carbon while delivering strength, scale, and long-term durability.
Environmental responsibility is not applied afterward.
It is built directly into the structure.
Scalable Timber Frame Commercial Construction
The Southeast Event Centre Atrium is not a one-off solution.
It represents a scalable approach to timber frame commercial buildings for large civic, public, and multi-use facilities – where long spans, high volumes, and complex integrations are required.
This project proves that mass timber can meet the structural, operational, and aesthetic demands of modern commercial architecture.
Cornerstone Timberframes
From Manitoba to projects across Canada and North America, Cornerstone Timberframes designs and delivers Timber Frame Commercial Buildings that are engineered for scale, built for longevity, and executed with precision.
This is not experimental construction. This is proven performance.
