Birdair, Inc. to Provide Tensile Roofing System for Newly Designed Durban Stadium

Birdair, Inc., the leading specialty contractor of lightweight long-span roofing systems and tensile structures throughout the world, is serving as roofing sub-contractor for Durban Stadium, which is one of three large-scale venues for the 2010 Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup.

In addition to Durban Stadium, Birdair is also serving as roofing sub-contractor for Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium and Green Point Stadium, incorporating long-span tensile architecture into each venue.

As roofing sub-contractor for Durban Stadium’s 500,000 square-foot tensile roofing system, Birdair brings a range of experience in the design, construction and engineering of long-span tensile structures to the coastal project, which, upon completion, will serve as a prominent addition to the surrounding South African countryside.

“Durban Stadium demonstrates the variety of functional and aesthetic benefits that tensile architecture continues to provide for renowned athletic facilities around the world,” explains Kevin Mayer, Birdair vice president of business development. “Birdair is proud to be a part of what is sure to become one of South Africa’s, if not the worlds’, most stunning architectural attractions.”

The innovative roofing system, comprised of 208 separate PTFE (or polytetrafluoroeethylene, commonly know by the brand name Teflon®) fiberglass membrane panels, will provide event patrons with a range of benefits, including natural daylighting, solar shading and open-air design.

In addition, the 70,000-seat facility will incorporate a towering 1,100-foot long, 30-story arch along the pitch of the roof. Visually, the unique design will allow the arch to stand out against the South African skyline, while functionally it will provide support for the 700 metric tons of cable net that support the tensile roofing system. As an added benefit, patrons will be able to ascend the arch by cable car for a bird’s-eye view from a platform above center field.

For the World Cup, Durban Stadium will add 16,000 temporary seats to its 56,000 permanent seats, bringing total capacity to 70,000. Post-World Cup, the facility can be expanded to an Olympic-size of 85,000 seats for future sporting events.

Durban Stadium will welcome six first-round World Cup matches, one second-round match, and one semi-final match. Post-event, the athletic facility will function as the hub of King’s Park Sporting Precinct, a large retail and cultural complex complete with restaurants, an amphitheatre, a sports history museum and a public park with beach access. The facility will additionally play host to various sporting and cultural events including rugby matches and concerts.

Roofing construction on Durban Stadium is slated for completion in August 2009, with the entire athletic facility expected to be finished in October 2009. In addition to Birdair, the project team consists of Architect GMP Architects, Cape Town, South Africa, and Engineer Schlaich Bergermann und Partner, Stuttgart, Germany and Pfeifer Seilban, Memringen, Germany.

To date, Birdair has completed work on 65 sports facilities globally, incorporating tensile architecture into a variety of single-sport and multi-purpose stadiums and arenas. Birdair combines breakthrough technologies with unparalleled experience to create structures that meet both facility and patron requirements.