Architecture for Athens 2004 - Roof & Facade

Roof&Facade Asia Cover Story: Architecture for Athens 2004
A polycarbonate roof for the Olympic Stadium
THE Olympic Stadium in Athens, named after Spyridon Louis, the Greek
winner of the Marathon at the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in
1896, was the venue of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, all the track
and field events and the men’s soccer final, at the 2004 Olympic Games.
The roof of the arena, called the Calatrava Dome, can already claim three
world records. It is not only the biggest stadium roof in the world, it is also
the largest transparent roof ever built. Thirdly, it is the biggest roof ever to
have been placed on top of a stadium after the stadium was completed.
The roof sections are made of solid, highly transparent plastic sheets of
MAKROLON polycarbonate from Bayer MaterialScience AG. The bluish
shining panels provide for a friendly, open and bright atmosphere in the
arena, and made it possible for the spectators to gaze up into the Greek
summer sky.
The roof is a dynamic suspension structure, defined by two metal arches,
each 300 m long, with their apex rising to a height of 78 m. The arches span
the stadium in the longitudinal direction and each carry a dome suspended
on double-arch supports. In total, the roof structure weighs 17,000 tons,
covers an area of nearly 25,000 sq m and can protect up to 75,000 spectators
from direct sunshine and rain.
Wire cables are connected to the two large metal arches, and it is to these
that the 12 mm thick, nearly 5 m long and 1 m wide polycarbonate sheets
are fixed. Sheets made of MAKROLON were chosen not only because of its
high transparency but also on account of its lower weight when compared
with that of glass. The sheets weigh just 14.4 kg/sq m. The favourable statics
provided the architect with greater design scope.
A special additive in the plastic kept the spectators cool despite the
summer heat. This additive reflects the majority of the radiant heat from
natural sunlight, but still allows the visible part of the light to pass through.
As a result, the air mass in the stadium did not heat up as much. Another
advantage of the plastic sheets, which have additionally been given a
scratchproof finish, is their machinability. They can be sawed, drilled and
cut without any problem. They do not break, which, together with their
low weight, made handling during assembly much easier.
Equally impressive was the procedure used for the construction of the
stadium. So as not to interrupt the building work, the two halves of the
roof were assembled separately next to the stadium. Once the main bulk of
the work in the stadium had been concluded, the two 8,500 ton structures
were each manoeuvred hydraulically on to the stadium on sliding blocks,
using a special track-mounted system. Finally, the polycarbonate sheets were
bolted into place. RnF
Enquiry No: 10/101
The world record-breaking Calatrava Dome is a roof of dynamic suspension structure, defined by two metal arches.
Roofing for the Stadium of
Peace and Friendship
THE Stadium of Peace and Friendship is located about
25 km from the Olympic Village, in the Faliro Coastal
Zone Olympic Complex, south of Athens.
The venue for the volleyball matches at the 2004
Olympic Games has a concave-shaped roof that offered
protection to the approximately 14,000 spectators and
players, from the extreme summer heat.
Further, since the roof was supported solely by pillars
at its perimeter, television viewers and spectators alike,
were provided with an unobstructed view of the
volleyball court.
However, since the 35 m high stadium is located
directly at the harbour, it is subject to the torrid heat in
summer and the near-freezing temperatures in winter,
varying wind strengths and salt-laden air.
Sarnafil TS 77-15 - RAL 7040, a flexible polyolefin
from Sarnafil, was used in the refurbishment of the
existing roof, due to its special formulation and the fact
that it does not contain any plasticiser. The product has
good chemical resistance, even at higher temperatures.
These characteristics were decisive for the Greek
contractors, since protection of the stadium needed to
be long-term. Sarnafil-trained installers passed on
expertise and knowledge to their Greek counterparts, a
step that was crucial to the completion of the enormous
installation. Together, they covered a surface as large as
two soccer pitches.
Sarnafil was also involved in building the
Beach Volleyball Centre and other stadiums for the
Games. RnF
Enquiry No: 10/102
The Stadium of Peace and Friendship: The concave-shaped roof offered protection to the spectators and players from the extreme summer heat.
4 Roof & Facade Asia • October 2004