Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban South Africa

© Macina

The main entrance at the end of a 2.5-kilometer long linear park is located at the fork of the arch, transforming it into a gateway to the city. The roof’s geometry is based on an architectural idea of the stadium body. Between the compressed ring, located along the stadium’s bowl and the arch, are stretched a series of radial T-bar clamps and traction cables on the inner edge of the roof, causing the pressure ring to assume an almond-like form.

© gmp / please click to enlarge!

The PTFE-coated roof membrane allows max. 12% of the existing sunlight to penetrate the surface, while still providing protection from the sun and rain. The undulation of the stadium’s volume and its waving façade of open slats envelopes the passageways. Because of its geometric superimposition of cones and cylinders, the exterior surface creates an intriguing procession of the stadium’s circumference, which also causes a change in the inclination of the rising façade.

Developer:

Municipality of Durban
P. O. Box 1014 • ZA-4000 Duban / South Africa
Tel.: +27(0)800-331011
eMail: sizakala@durban.gov.za • web: www.durban.gov.za

Architect:

gmp-Architekten
von Gerkan, Marg und Partner
Elbchaussee 139 • D-22763 Hamburg / Germany
Tel.: +49(0)40-88151-0 • Fax: 040-88151-179
eMail: hamburg-e@gmp-architekten.de • web: www.gmp-architekten.de

General contractor:

Group Five Corporate & Business Services
371 Rivonia Boulevard • ZA-2128 Rivonia / South Africa
Tel.: +27(0)1 18 06 01 11 • Fax: +27(0)1 18 03 55 20
eMail: info@g5.co.za • web: www.g5.co.za