State-of-the-art stadia

By Michele Roth, Marketing Manager, Birdair, Inc.

The unparalleled aesthetics, functionality and design flexibility of tensioned fabric membrane roofing systems have made it an innovative choice for a variety of renowned athletic venues around the world. This is evident in the Middle East, where two recently constructed venues – S3 Cricket Stadium in Dubai and Kuwait National Stadium in Kuwait – demonstrate the visual appeal and versatility only possible with tensile architecture. 

While each venue features its own distinct design, they each share the expertise of the same leading specialty contractor for lightweight long-span tensile roofing systems – Buffalo, NY-based Birdair, Inc. Through Birdair’s mastery of design, engineering and erection of world-class tensile membrane roofing systems, each completed facility now benefits from the long-lasting look and functionality of tensioned fabric membrane.

S3 Cricket Stadium
In Dubai, United Arab Emirates, S3 Cricket Stadium, known casually as Cricket Stadium, now functions as a unique addition to Dubai Sports City – the world’s first purpose-built sports city.

In line with Cricket Stadium’s anticipated major role in the future of regional and international cricket, it was imperative that the stadium’s design meet all cricket specifications. Accordingly, the International Cricket Council (ICC) – the world-governing body of cricket – maintained involvement in all stages of the design process. The resulting design is the most advanced of its kind in the world. Integral to the design is the facility’s circular, tented fabric membrane roof – arguably its most notable feature.

In 2006, Taiyo Middle East (TME) was awarded the roofing portion of the project and subsequently hired Birdair, whose essential project role consisted of membrane and supporting steel frame construction supervision. Construction began in October 2007.

“Birdair’s role of supervising the membrane construction on Cricket Stadium, in addition to directing the project through different stages, is due to their vast experience in stadium roof construction, which requires high performance levels and extraordinary commitment with respect to the quality of work involved,” said Ahmad Dalain, TME director of projects.

As construction supervisor, Birdair was able to overcome challenges frequently encountered in steel construction. For Cricket Stadium, this included an intricate steel geometric design consisting of several curved and long steel trusses. Adding to the project’s complex nature was the fact that the structure had to be erected through the use of hydraulic cranes without any propping or temporary supports. Additionally, the large size of the trusses mandated on-the-job assembly prior to installation. Contractors worked efficiently on a rigid schedule to finish the assembly in a prompt fashion, completing the erection of the structure's steel compression ring one month before the project’s expected completion date.

The resulting 600-ton structural steel truss system with 20,000 square meters of TiO2-coated PTFE architectural fabric membrane tensioned over it was completed in June 2008. The finished tensile structure serves as a functional, durable, aesthetically pleasing adornment, encircling Cricket Stadium in vibrant panels of architectural fabric that lend a truly distinctive look to the structure. The innovative design additionally maximizes ventilation while reducing excessive heat build up on the terraces.

TiO2-coated fabric membrane was selected for Cricket Stadium because of the minimal maintenance required to keep the fabric looking new. As the first stadium in the world to feature a TiO2-coated tensile membrane, Cricket Stadium will benefit from the material’s reduced maintenance requirements and ability to retain its bright white color over time.

The photocatalytic material, developed by Taiyo Kogyo, functions like the leaves of a tree to provide shade and comfort while actively neutralizing airborne pollutants and odors. A unique self-cleaning process improves the way the material performs by extending its vibrancy. Organic materials that land on the membrane are converted into harmless gases, leaving the membrane bright and clean. The coated fabric uses the sun’s UV radiation, along with the oxygen and water vapor present in the air, to create active oxygen ions. In turn, the ions decompose organic dirt into natural components through an oxidation-reduction reaction. When it rains, the resulting decomposed material simply gets washed off without leaving streaks. This reaction maintains the material’s pristine condition.

“The TiO2 coating adds the ability for the membrane to self-cleanse utilizing natural resources, such as sunlight and natural rain water,” continues Dalain. “This makes TiO2-coated PTFE the best choice for long life structures, as there is a minimum cleaning cost. Previously, the necessity to frequently clean fabric membranes as part of their maintenance was a shortcoming. However, now with TiO2, this is no longer a concern.”
Spectators at Cricket Stadium will also benefit from the TiO2-coated fabric’s high degree of translucency, which subtly shades yet allows natural light to filter through the fabric membrane structure while offering protection from adverse weather conditions.

In addition to Birdair and TME, the Cricket Stadium project team consists of Gerkan, Marg und Partner (GMP), Berlin, Aachen and Hamburg, Germany, project architect; SKM Consulting, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, engineer; and Alpine Bau Deautschland – Belbadi Contracting JV, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, general contractor.  Dubai Sports City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is the facility owner.
Cricket Stadium was completed in early 2009, with the entire Dubai Sports City development to be completed in 2010. The 25,000-seat stadium – expandable to 30,000 seats – maintains facilities to accommodate players, match officials, VIPs, spectators and the media.

Kuwait National Stadium
From the fabric membrane peaks that echo Kuwait’s southern sand dunes to the saddle-shaped steel latticework that links the region to its nomadic past, the canopy design of Kuwait National Stadium offers spectators an effective shade system with a touch of Middle Eastern flair.

The 64,000-seat facility, located in the city of Safat, was completed in December 2007, and is the largest soccer and Olympic-standard sports venue in Kuwait. Given its large scale, the building’s owner, State of Kuwait Public Authority for Youth and Sports, enlisted the help of Birdair to design, engineer and install a tensioned fabric membrane roof to shield fans from the searing desert heat, where summer temperatures regularly exceed 130° Fahrenheit (54° Celsius).

Construction on the tensioned fabric membrane system’s supporting structure began in January 2006 and was completed within one year. The highly translucent PTFE fiberglass membrane system stretches across the compressed steel and heavy-duty cable framework, venturing from the roof’s outer edge to an open inner ring.

The innovative design provides spectators with much-needed comfort while allowing daylight to reach the stadium’s natural grass playing surface.

“The difference for fans will be dramatic,” said Wesley R. Terry, Birdair professional engineer, who supervised on site during construction. “I sat in the stands after the membrane was installed and it does an outstanding job of lowering the temperature inside the stadium.”

Birdair’s team of engineers and designers capitalized on the extensive daylight harvesting properties of PTFE-coated fabric.  Due to its inherent translucency, light pours through the woven fiberglass material to brighten the stadium’s interior space, subsequently lowering operating costs by reducing the need for supplemental electric lighting.

PTFE coated woven fiberglass membrane is extremely durable and weather resistant.  It is capable of withstanding temperatures from -100°F to +450°F, immune to UV rays, waterproof and flame resistant. The membrane’s Teflon® coating additionally provides a durable defense against Kuwait’s unforgiving landscape while resisting staining and soiling, thereby extending the lifespan of the structure.

Four-inch diameter radial cable was used throughout the structure’s design. The inner ring, also constructed using compressed steel, weighs approximately 1,950 tons. Applying these sturdy components to the roofing system allowed engineers to suspend a pair of 15-ton scoreboards from opposite ends of the massive canopy.

The roof is serviced by a suspended maintenance catwalk that also serves as the structural means of support for the floodlighting, public address and evacuation systems. Looking up towards the sand dune fabric peaks, 450 illuminated holographic glass cupolas are visible, contributing to its overall light transmittance.

The owner’s vision was to create a structure using a tent or cone-shape that linked the roof to Kuwait’s Middle Eastern heritage. The resulting athletic facility is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also cost-effective.

“With its concaved, load-bearing profile, it required only a minimal, single-layer cable net to support the fabric membrane,” continued Terry.
 
Construction on Kuwait National Stadium and the adjacent grounds began in September 2005. In addition to Birdair, the project team includes Weidleplan Consulting GMBH, Stuttgart, Germany, architect and Schlaich Bergermann und Partner GBR, Stuttgart, Germany, engineer.

The stadium, which is certified by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to host international soccer and athletic events, features spectacular sightlines, air-conditioned concourses, 52 luxury boxes and numerous amenities for spectators and competitors.

Kuwait Stadium marks a major capital improvement effort for Kuwait, where new residences, hotels and office buildings have sprung up throughout Safat’s Ardiya district. As part of the stadium development, direct road access to the facility and other transportation projects were also completed.

Beyond Cricket and Kuwait
In addition to S3 Cricket Stadium and Kuwait National Stadium, Birdair has completed work on dozens of sports facilities globally, incorporating tensile architecture into a variety of single-sport and multi-purpose stadiums and arenas. Birdair is currently serving as roofing subcontractor for three of the 2010 Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup stadium projects, including Green Point Stadium, Durban Stadium and Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. 

Birdair continues to combine breakthrough technologies with unparalleled experience to create structures that meet both facility and patron requirements.

Michele Roth is Marketing Manager for Birdair, Inc., the leading specialty contractor of lightweight long-span roofing systems and tensile structures throughout the world, providing design-build solutions for architects and clients in all aspects of project design, engineering, installation and maintenance. Lightweight long-span roofing systems and cable structures can be attached to any building envelope and offer aesthetic and functional options to complement any exterior design. Birdair, based in Buffalo, NY, is a member of the Taiyo Kogyo Group, with operations serving North and South America and other international locations. For more information about Birdair, call 1-800-622-2246 or visit www.birdair.com.

Contact details:
Kevin Mayer, VP of Business Development/Sales/Marketing
T: (716) 208-0687
E: kmayer@birdair.com
www.birdair.com