Tauranga Gurdwara – Structural Transformation of a Former Bus Shed

At Pyramid Engineering Consultants (PENGCO), we led the structural redesign of the Tauranga Gurdwara, converting a former bus shed into a community space. Originally a single-storey lightweight warehouse with a two-storey office extension, the building required significant upgrades to meet building code requirements for structural importance level 3 due to its increased occupancy for religious gatherings.

The existing structure, featuring a lightweight roof supported by steel portal frames, was enhanced with new portal frames to support the addition of suspended ceilings, air-conditioning, and external wall linings, which increased both gravity and seismic loads. Our assessment identified missing and damaged braces, leading to the installation of new wall and roof braces to ensure stability.

Additionally, two new dome structures were added and seismically isolated to prevent any impact on the existing building’s performance and structural elements, ensuring overall stability.

These comprehensive upgrades have transformed the building into a safe, resilient space that meets modern safety standards and effectively serves the Tauranga Sikh community.