Project Gallery / Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium

As the first world-class stadium to be built in the City of Port Elizabeth, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium presented Birdair with another unique opportunity to showcase the architectural and aesthetic capabilities and advantages of lightweight long-span tensile architecture.

As roofing sub-contractor for the 50,000-seat venue, Birdair’s project role included design, engineering and construction of the tensile roofing system, as well as erecting 2,400 metric tons of roof girders.

With a design rivaling that of acclaimed athletic venues around the world, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium enjoys a variety of aesthetic and functional benefits due to the incorporation of a tensioned membrane roofing system.

Aesthetically, the roof’s series of “petals” is designed to resemble a sunflower, complementing the diverse natural beauty of the surrounding Port Elizabeth. This is the reason for the stadium’s nickname “The Sunflower.” Approximately 230,000 square feet of fabric membrane comprised of PTFE coated fiberglass form the undulating roof design.

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium along with two other new stadiums, Cape Town and Durban, will host the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Project: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
Owner: Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality
Architect: Architectural Design Associates (Pty) Ltd & Dominic Bonnesse Architects
Engineer: Schalich-Bergermann & Partners (Stuttgart, Germany) and
                  Grinaker/Interbeton JV (South Africa and Holland)
Market Sector: Stadiums & Arenas
Material: PTFE coated fiberglass
Location: Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Completed: 2009