Wide Open Welding

Precision, precision, precision. No matter the project, we delivery the precision required.

A steel fireplace facing does two jobs: it protects the surrounding structure from heat, and it gives the room a finished focal point.⁠
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Getting both right means the firebox behind it is built to spec, and the facing is fabricated to sit perfectly flush. No gaps, no movement, no misalignment with the wall plane beside it.⁠
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This facing was one of the final installations on a custom Whistler residence before handoff to the client. Part of a full steel scope that ran from the structural frame to the chimney cap.⁠
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That's Wide Open Welding's version of start to finish.⁠
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Working with Bohlin Cywinski Jackson on a custom Whistler residence means the fabrication standard has to match the design intent, exactly.

This project required billet stainless steel columns, a suspended staircase, a knife-edge roof, full structural steel, and custom architectural details throughout. Every element was designed in-house, detailed to the engineer's drawings, and installed by our crew.

Fast + Epp on engineering. Dürfeld Constructors on construction. Wide Open Welding on steel.

The team on a project like this reflects what the project demands. We're proud to be the fabricator that architects and engineers at this level trust with their most complex residential work.

If you're building something that requires this level of ex*****on, we'd like to hear about it: [email protected]

What makes a radius railing harder to fabricate than a straight one?⁠
A straight railing follows a single plane. A radius railing has to follow a curve, which means every section needs to be bent or rolled to match the arc, the posts need to be plumb on a curved base plate, and the top rail needs to flow without kinks or flat spots.⁠
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On the Malahat SkyWalk, we fabricated over 500 linear feet of custom radius railings in galvanized steel. At that scale, consistency isn't just an aesthetic standard, it's a structural one. Every section had to match the engineering drawings exactly, because each one connects to the next.⁠
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No shortcuts at 250 metres above sea level.⁠
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This Whistler residence with Open Space Architecture and CBN Enterprises was a full scope from the ground up: structural steel, custom stairs with a 3/8" plate stringer and brass-inlay railing, chimney cap, fireplace hearth, and mantle support.

The details read differently when they come from the same shop as the structure. Nothing is bolted-on, it's designed in.

Swipe to see how this one came together. 👉

Let's work together: [email protected]

Before the walls go up, there's this.

Structural steel in place on a West Vancouver hillside. The frame is where every decision made in the engineer's drawings becomes physical, where tolerances either hold or don't.

Raw material. Precise placement. The foundation everything else depends on.

📐 BattersbyHowat Architects | Aspect Structural Engineers | Hart Tipton Construction

On a project like the Wedgewoods residence in Whistler, the architectural steel scope touches almost every room.

Structural steel. Exterior guardrails. Interior stairs. Slat wall. Custom chimney shroud. Stainless pool accents. Mechanical covers. Door thresholds. Jamb plates. Window sills. Custom bunk bed structure.

Working with BattersbyHowat Architects, Twin Peaks Engineering, and Creekworks Construction, our team coordinated from early design through final installation.

If your project has a complex steel scope, we'd like to hear about it early: [email protected]

We can't wait to show final shots of this master piece project in Whistler. We began by installing the structural steel framework, laying the foundation for the home's expansive design. Now, we’re crafting and installing the aluminum knife-edge roof, a precise architectural feature that adds both strength and style. Next, we’ll build the staircase, blending function with striking design.

What is a knife-edge roof and why does it matter?

A knife-edge roof profile tapers the fascia to a sharp, thin line at the building's perimeter. The result is a roofline that reads as impossibly thin from the exterior, giving a large structure a sense of lightness it wouldn't otherwise have.

Achieving it in aluminum requires precise fabrication. The taper has to be consistent across the full run, the corners need to be mitered cleanly, and the installation has to account for the material's thermal expansion.

We're currently fabricating and installing the aluminum knife-edge roof on this Olson Kundig–designed Whistler residence. More to come.

📐 Olson Kundig | Aspect Structural Engineers | CBN Enterprises

Clean lines and the mix of wood and steel 😍⁠
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A 30-metre spiral. Half a million pounds of galvanized steel. 250 metres above sea level.⁠
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Some structures are meant to disappear into their setting. This one is meant to be the reason you look up.⁠
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The Malahat SkyWalk on Vancouver Island, designed by Murdoch & Company, built by Kinsol Timber Systems. Wide Open Welding supplied approximately 850,000 pounds of steel for the project, including the iconic spiral staircase and over 500 linear feet of custom radius railings.⁠
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This project exemplifies the seamless integration of mass timber and steel components, showcasing our expertise in delivering complex, innovative structures that harmonize with their natural surroundings.⁠
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