As we enter into the second month of the near complete global live sports suspension, all forms of sport have shown signs of struggling, from grass roots level up to the highest-level of national and international competition. Read more
ASM Global has been confirmed as the venue management provider for a new £260 million arena, conference and exhibition centre on Gateshead Quays in the North East of England. Read more
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum has reopened, revealing major upgrades that will improve patron experience. Read more
Birmingham City Council is on the hunt for a contractor to carry out renovation and expansion work on Alexander Stadium to prepare it for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Read more
Arup and Gfinity plc are teaming up to design a world-leading integrated e-sports venue. Read more
3XN has been commissioned to design a proposal for a new arena and a masterplan for central Bergen in Norway. Read more
Stadium for Bath has appointed leading engineering firm Arup to play a central role in the design of a new community-focused stadium for the city. Read more
Phoenix Rising Football Club has picked two award-winning global architectural design firms as the design team for its proposed Major League Soccer (MLS) stadium. Read more
The new Warner Stand at Lord’s Cricket Ground has opened after a major redevelopment project. Read more
Fiorentina have unveiled plans for a new 40,000-seat stadium in Florence, which is set to open for the 2021/22 season. Read more
Copenhagen’s new multi-purpose Royal Arena has opened for business and will be hosting the European Short Course Swimming Championships later this year.
Arup’s Rebecca Stewart (RS) explains the difficult art of designing everyday products, the latest trends and her own office space, while also describing how chairs can uphold the quality of an entire project.
Global design and engineering firm Arup is contributing to building a healthier community through its work on two significant sports projects for Victoria – the new Victorian Cricket and Community Centre (VCCC) at Junction Oval, and the new Media and Administration building at Melbourne Park.
Arup is providing multidisciplinary engineering design service to the Victorian Cricket and Community Centre (VCCC) – pictured above – home to Cricket Victoria’s new state of the art training and administration facility at Junction Oval.
Designed in collaboration with Cox Architecture, the development, adjacent to the existing heritage listed grandstands, will support both professional State cricketers and community cricketers, as well as provide local community education and playing facilities.
Arup’s structural and building services solutions will enable a flexible and sustainable facility capable of adapting to the needs of both elite and community stakeholders, whilst enabling overlay infrastructure in the case of marquee events and matches being staged at the venue.
Richard Salter, Sports Market Leader, Southern Region (Vic / SA), Australia, said:
Victoria carries Australia’s sporting capital mantle for good reason – playing host to a number of world-class sporting events, including the Australian Open, Melbourne Cup, Australian Grand Prix, and Test Cricket Series. These new facilities will allow users to further the development and promotion of Cricket and Tennis in Victoria, connecting sport to the community.
Arup continues to lead the way in local and international sports design, and we are excited to work with our clients and collaborators to bring these state-significant projects to life.
Partially opened in time for the 2016 Australian Open, Arup is also providing all engineering and specialist services in collaboration with international design practice HASSELL on the striking Administration and Media building at Melbourne Park. Due for completion in the later part of 2016, the building will provide permanent accommodation for Tennis Australia and Melbourne and Olympic Park Trust, and offer state of the art broadcasting facilities for approximately 600 local and international media personnel during the annual Australian Open Tournament.
On track for a LEED gold sustainability rating, the multi-use, adaptable building features a number of energy efficiency initiatives. A centralised mechanical design solution located on the lower floors allowed for a re-stacking of office levels and subsequent release of the top floor for tenancy, with associated views and amenity, in addition to an increase in floor plate efficiency to exceed 85%. The building also features deep shade overhangs on the façade, which not only assist with reducing glare for train and tram drivers, but ensures comfort for staff and media personnel.
Arup, a multidisciplinary engineering and consulting firm with a reputation for delivering innovative and sustainable designs, was recognised with the highest accolade at the The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) Structural Awards 2015.
The Singapore Sports Hub, for which Arup was the structural engineer, won the Supreme Award for Structural Engineering Excellence. This is the highest accolade of the ceremony and is given at the judges’ discretion, to the project that has distinguished itself from all submissions in 2015, and for being the finest global example of structural engineering design in the year.
The Singapore Sports Hub is home to the world’s largest free-spanning dome of 310 metres, the approximate width of four A380 aeroplanes parked wing to wing. The roof, which covers the 55,000-seat sports stadium, also sets new benchmarks in efficiency of design and material usage, utilising a third of weight of steel normally used in a span of this size.
Andrew Henry, Project Manager, Arup, said:
It is a rare honour to have worked on and led the design for the Singapore Sports Hub – a fantastic project, with contributions from so many talented people. I am elated with the recognition the project and team have received, and am particularly proud of the work Arup has done on the National Stadium roof. Working under intense pressure, the team delivered exceptional technical work with a brilliant outcome. They pushed the boundaries of technology and thoroughly deserve this recognition.
To address the issue of spectator comfort in the tropics, the lightweight dome roof structure was made retractable to provide shade during events, complemented with an energy-efficient cooling system that delivers cooled air to every seat. The stadium was also designed to be highly versatile with movable seating, and is the first in the world that can be adapted to combine the sports of football, athletics, rugby and cricket.
Mike King, Lead Structural Engineer, Arup, said:
The Singapore Sports Hub National Stadium roof structure is the result of the extraordinary vision of the client, the outstanding skills and collaboration between Arup’s sports architects and structural engineers and the expertise of the main contractor and steel subcontractor. We are very proud that the team has received this accolade from the IStructE and to have helped deliver this iconic structure as part of Singapore’s nation building.
The firm was also crowned champions in four other categories: the Award for Sports or Leisure Structures, again, for the Singapore Sports Hub; the Award for Arts or Entertainment Structures for the Vegas High Roller in the USA; the Award for Regional Groups for the SSE Hydro in Glasgow; and the Housing for Low-Income Communities project in El Salvador was presented with the Award for Sustainability.
The IStructE Structural Awards is a platform that highlights outstanding achievements by structural engineers from all over the world.
For more information on the Singapore Sports Hub, home to the last two editions of Stadia & Arena Asia Pacific, visit: http://www.arup.com/Projects/Singapore_Sports_Hub.aspx
Image Copyright: Arup
Premier, Colin Barnett, and Sport and Recreation Minister, Mia Davies, were onsite today to view the latest construction milestone.
The Premier said:
Just 12 months ago we were onsite to see the first concrete pile driven into the ground.
The progress since then has been remarkable and construction is now 33% complete based on design and procurement status. With the first of the roof trusses installed recently, the final height of the Stadium is now clearly visible.
The 50 roof trusses will be delivered to the Burswood site and installed over the next 12 months. The 45 metre-long steel trusses will support the lightweight roof fabric covering 85% of the 60,000 seats.
Ms Davies highlighted the significant involvement of local West Australian companies in the construction of the world-class venue:
More than 14,000 tonnes of steel are being used to construct the stadium’s steel frame. This includes 50 steel roof trusses manufactured at the factory of Henderson-based contractor, Civmec Construction and Engineering, with a workforce of over 120.
Subcontracts valued at more than A$159m have already been awarded to local companies and the opportunity for more WA businesses to benefit from Perth Stadium will continue in the years ahead.
Alongside installation of over 2,700 tonnes of steel for the Stadium structure, more than 600 of the terraced concrete platforms that will support the seats are now in place.
2016 will be the busiest period of construction and the Burswood site is set to become a hive of activity, peaking mid-year with a workforce of around 1,000 workers.
Watch a virtual video tour of the new stadium online at:
The new Perth Stadium in AFL format.
The new Perth Stadium in concert mode.
Italian club, AC Milan, has been granted permission to build a new €330m (US$363m, £236m) stadium in the north of the city.
The seven-time European football champions’ plans for a new 48,000-capacity stadium in the Portello region of Milan were approved by The Fondazione Fiera – the city administrators – following a six-month consultation period.
Designed by world-renowned sports architects Arup, the Club has described the stadium as “the most innovative in the world”. The design team, which is being led by Arup, studied 70 different stadia across the world before producing the plans.
As well as a new stadium, the project includes a hotel, sports college, restaurants, green areas and public art spaces.
The mixed-use project will take its inspiration from English stadiums, with the purpose of creating a multi-use venue that is operational both on matchdays and non-matchdays, and can be reached by public transport.
To limit the venue’s impact on the surrounding area, the stadium will be built partly underground, resulting in the building only being 30m tall at its highest peak. The design also includes a moveable roof to mitigate noise pollution, while special attention will be focused on the social and environmental needs of the fans/patrons.
Part of the Club’s motivation to produce sustainable and environmentally considerate plans stems from the fact that residents of Milan have previously opposed the relocation plans.
Speaking about the new stadium development in Milan-based broadsheet, Corriere della Sera, Giovanni Malago, President of the Italian Olympic Committee, CONI, said:
I had already expressed support for this project. Now I can express my great satisfaction and congratulate all the protagonists. I back all operations that are linked to building new stadiums, with new philosophies on safety, new concepts of services for families, maybe even with museum activities. The future of Italian football also belongs to privately-owned stadiums.
Doctor Barbara Berlusconi said of the decision made by The Fondazione Fiera regarding the new stadium:
It is the first historic step. Milan will be like London. Today, with the decision of the Fair Fondazione Fiera, officially starts the path that, at least in our intention, will lead to a new stadium.
It is a first step because we will have to submit the entire project to the institutions for approval. Today, however, is a historic day. Ours is primarily a cultural challenge. First of all for Milan because we offer: an urban stadium, to promote the development of the area that will host it, to make it safer and a symbol of the city, it will completely change the mentality of those who have gone to the stadium, proposing services and moments of entertainment not only for the 90 minutes of the game.
At the same time, we will fight to discourage private and encouraging instead public transport. Milan, therefore, will be like London. In fact, London also has urban stadiums, they can be reached by metro and have allowed the redevelopment of the areas in which they were built.
In addition, for Milan, it is essential for the commercial development of the club. The use of the stadium overall will bring in €50-€80m per year. This income will also be used to buy new players.
Sources: AC Milan, Arup and World Leisure
The Estadio Nacional de Fútbol de Venezuela will sit on a hillside in Caracas providing views of the city to the north-east.
Rogers Stirk & Partners secured the stadium project after being commissioned to design a new bus station for the city.
Phase one of the project involves creating a masterplan for an area known as La Rinconada. This includes establishing a transport interchange linking the new bus station with an existing metro and train station. It also establishes a new park protecting the surrounding hillsides from further development.
The stadium will be built in the park alongside existing sports facilities, including a listed racecourse designed by Arthur Froehlich in 1959.
The Estadio Nacional de Fútbol de Venezuela, designed with engineers Arup and schlaich bergermann und partner, features a lightweight, brightly coloured bicycle wheel canopy roof intended to “capture the joy and vitality of the city and its people”.
Rogers Stirk Harbour’s Estadio Nacional de Fútbol de Venezuela in Caracas.
Simon Smithson, lead partner for the project at Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners, said:
The hillside site created an unusual challenge and the design reflects this, with terraces cut into the landscape giving way to a series of floating esplanades that provide access to the various levels of stadium.
