Recreation Centre Project – Custom Case Study
VGF has designed and installed many custom projects over the years, indoor, outdoor, large, and small. Here you’ll find a collection a few favourite projects, some straight-forward, some filled with challenges, and others that are just plain ‘ole fun. We put them together to form the Vancouver Gas Fireplaces Custom Case Studies.
Vancouver Gas Fireplaces was approached by an architect who was working on a custom fireplace for a new recreation center.
The architect’s concept involved creating an enclosed 14-ft long by 3-ft deep concrete structure with an opening approximately 3-ft high. The nature of the burner, control systems, and the venting however, was not yet determined. Vancouver Gas Fireplaces was contracted to design the technical specifications and burner system in order to help the architect achieve the desired look, and then take the complete package to the
Gas Safety Branch for special approval.
The following components are what ultimately made this custom fireplace so unique:
- The burners are comprised of a series of four custom sand pans with a layer of small lava rock granules, topped with a layer of river rock hand picked by the architect.
- The flame reads up through the rocks, creating an extraordinary visual effect.
- The opening of the fireplace is sealed with ceramic glass to ensure there is no spillage of by products as a result of combustion.
- The ignition for the burners is electric, with a separate system for each burner.
- The venting was put through a 12-inch B vent topped by a powered draft inducer.
- The inducer, set up with interlocking controls, provided both pre and post purge capabilities.
Vancouver Gas Fireplaces worked with the contractor on this project to ensure adequate gas supply and air supply was brought in for the fireplace, along with the necessary power requirements. The interface building materials were also specified by Vancouver Gas Fireplaces to ensure the safety and integrity of the fireplace.
By combining existing equipment with custom fabrications, Vancouver Gas Fireplaces was able to provide the client with a functional concept that went beyond the traditional idea of a fireplace, thereby enhancing the space around it. This type of project expands the potential of a fireplace as a feature element in a design, with the added benefit of an active visual impact.
Robert Koby
Thinking about a custom fireplace?
independent preliminary review by the Equipment Approvals Manager of the Gas Safety Authority of British Columbia and a subsequent field review and inspection by Independent Arms Length Government Inspectors.