The NFL’s Minnesota Vikings franchise is aware what a heavy accumulation of snow can do. Late in the 2010 season, the Twin Cities were hit by a blizzard, and 17 inches of snow came to rest on the Metrodome’s air-supported Teflon and fiberglass roof. All the weight and moisture caused the roof to puncture and collapse. The stadium was repaired the next summer for $22.7 million.
For the team’s new stadium, which was designed by HKS Architects and is set to open next fall, the team is ensuring that the roof will hold up to rough northern conditions. U.S. Bank Stadium will have an ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) pneumatic roof, a durable, flexible material made of a polymer similar to Teflon, as the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports. ETFE is 1/100th the weight of glass and can stretch three times its length without losing elasticity.
The ETFE pillows are still supported by air, but they are also backed by a steel structure and won’t sink due to a loss of air pressure. The panels can be punctured by sharp objects but are easy to patch, and the nonstick surface and steep angle will help prevent snow from piling high.
ETFE also is lightweight and translucent, allowing natural light to enter for a sense of openness. Domed stadiums of the past, like the Metrodome, were known for being dark and cavernous.
Roughly 248,000 sf of the roof will be composed of ETFE; the remaining portion will be a steeply-pitched hard roof, but sunlight will still angle over the entire field. According to the Vikings’ website, ETFE will not degrade when exposed to UV light. Altogether, U.S. Bank Stadium will cost just more than $1 billion to build.
ETFE has previously been installed at venues like the Beijing National Stadium in China, the Eden Project in Cornwall, U.K., and Allianz Arena in Munich.
Related Stories
| Sep 3, 2014
New designation launched to streamline LEED review process
The LEED Proven Provider designation is designed to minimize the need for additional work during the project review process.
| Sep 2, 2014
Ranked: Top green building sector AEC firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
AECOM, Gensler, and Turner top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest green design and construction firms.
| Aug 29, 2014
The new College Football Hall of Fame opens in Atlanta
Adjacent to the Georgia World Congress Center and Centennial Olympic Park, the three-story, 94,250-sf attraction is designed to celebrate the traditions of college football.
| Aug 27, 2014
Ranked: Top sports facility sector AEC firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Populous, AECOM, and Turner head BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest sports facility design and construction firms, as reported in the 2014 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 27, 2014
Survey of NCAA athletic directors reveals strong demand for new facilities, fan amenities
More than 80% of college athletic directors plan to make significant investments in facilities over the next five years to target potential recruits and spectators, according to a new survey by AECOM and Ohio University.
| Aug 20, 2014
WELL Building: The next step in green sports construction
The WELL Building Standard, a new protocol that focuses on human wellness within the built environment, is a particularly good fit for sports facilities, write Skanska's Tom Tingle and Beth Heider.
| Aug 19, 2014
HOK to acquire 360 Architecture
Expected to be finalized by the end of October, the acquisition of 360 Architecture will provide immediate benefits to both firms’ clients worldwide as HOK re-enters the sports and entertainment market.
| Jul 28, 2014
Reconstruction market benefits from improving economy, new technology [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Following years of fairly lackluster demand for commercial property remodeling, reconstruction revenue is improving, according to the 2014 Giants 300 report.
| Jul 28, 2014
Reconstruction Sector Construction Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Structure Tone, Turner, and Gilbane top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest reconstruction contractor and construction management firms in the U.S.
| Jul 28, 2014
Reconstruction Sector Engineering Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Jacobs, URS, and Wiss, Janney, Elstner top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest reconstruction engineering and engineering/architecture firms in the U.S.
