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Architecture

New Atlanta Stadium to boast an eight-section interlocking retractable roof

August 28, 2014
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The New Atlanta Stadium will have a roof that opens and closes in a similar way to a camera shutter
The New Atlanta Stadium will have a roof that opens and closes in a similar way to a camera shutter
View of the south side of the stadium and south overpass
South side of the stadium with downtown Atlanta in background
View of southwest side of the stadium, at the intersection of Northside Drive & MLK Blvd
Exterior view of the “city window” on the stadium’s northeast side
A view of the concourse just inside the “city window”
A view of the seating bowl and video “halo” board from the east end zone
A view of the east end zone and “city window”
View gallery - 8 images

Work recently started on the construction of the new Atlanta Falcons stadium. The stadium, to be shared with a new Major League Soccer team, will contain a number of high-tech and sustainability features. It will also boast a "one-of-a-kind" eight-piece interlocking retractable roof.

Stadium architecture is becoming increasingly advanced. The new Minnesota Vikings stadium will feature what is claimed will be the world’s largest transparent roof. AS Roma's new stadium, meanwhile, is based on the Roman Colosseum and, according to architects Woods Bagot, will boast a carbon-neutral energy footprint.

Exterior view of the “city window” on the stadium’s northeast side

Designs for the new Atlanta Stadium were also inspired by an ancient Roman building. Senior principle of 360 Architects Bill Johnson explains in a video on the Falcons' YouTube channel that the spotlight-type effect created by the small hole in the roof of the Pantheon was the basis for the stadium's retractable roof. The design aims to use light coming in through the roof opening to highlight or frame the playing field.

The roof itself is unlike most, if not all, other retractable roofs found on stadiums. Rather than being formed of two sides that slide shut together, it is made up of eight large leaves that rotate and interlock, gradually closing in a lattice-like manner.

A view of the seating bowl and video “halo” board from the east end zone

"The roof has been dubbed The Pantheon because of its unique retractable opening in the center," explains Erleen Hatfield in a Q&A on the new stadium's website. Hatfield is a partner and director of structural engineering for Buro Happold, which is contributing to the stadium design. "The opening looks like the opening of a camera shutter, with eight moving pieces," she continues. "A series of lighter panels, rather than one big heavy panel, makes for faster open and close times and an iconic look."

Amongst the other innovative features in the stadium will be a 60 ft (18 m) high, 360-degree video board and a floor to ceiling window with views of Atlanta. The stadium is also said to be being planned with LEED practices for design, construction and operations in mind.

The New Atlanta Stadium is scheduled to open for the 2017 NFL season.

The video below provides an introduction to the New Atlanta Stadium including, towards the end, an animation showing how the roof will open and shut.

Source: New Atlanta Stadium

View gallery - 8 images

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ArchitectureConstructionArchitectsLEEDNFLStadium
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4 comments
StWils
Maybe the soon-to-be new owners of the Buffalo Bills will catch hint and have one of these built over the Ralph in Buffalo. It was never a smart idea to have a football stadium this far north and this near Lake Erie without a roof.
Nelson Hyde Chick
Billionaires own the teams, and millionaires play the games, but us peons are expected to pay for the stadiums. I wonder how many schools and hospitals could have been built and roads repaired for how much the public is going to be stuck paying for this alter to greed?
Slowburn
@ Nelson Hyde Chick Stadiums like this generally turn a profit for the city that build them assuming that they in fact have and keep the Team.
StWils
SlowKlue you are wrong. At no time does anyone gain more than the owners. In contemporary terms Billionaires become Billionaires by seeing to it that they get the most, first & foremost. Furthermore they expect deference and feel hurt if any suggestion is made that anyone else should expect to be profit participants. All municipal investments are expensive. The "job creators" all expect that any disposable low rent employment incidentally benefits society more than anyone has a right to expect. Witness the recent demand from the NFL that the halftime act PAY the NFL. These are Billionaires who have no sense of limits, except maybe someone else having limits.
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