Peter Mokaba Stadium set for big debut at Football World Cup 2010
Source: Sinclair Knight Merz - www.skmconsulting.com
10 June 2010
Global engineering, sciences and project delivery firm Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) eagerly awaits the debut of the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.
The newly built stadium will be one of the ten host venues for an estimated 3.5 million people during the 2010 Football World Cup.
SKM provided the structural engineering concept and scheme design for this 45,000 seat stadium which boasts a future-proofed design that will accommodate future changes and maintain its legacy after the World Cup. SKM worked alongside local engineering firm Africon (Aurecon).
Designed by AFL Architects in a joint venture with local architects Prism, Peter Mokaba Stadium is inspired by culture and simple construction. The design is practical and economical and based upon the iconic ‘Baobab tree’. These indigenous trees have large diameter trunks and support each corner of the stadium which accommodates vertical circulation ramps and service cores where the steel structure holding up the roof is anchored.
The overall design used modular concrete elements which were repeated throughout. The same modular principle can be seen in the roof structure which can be adapted to suit the future needs of the stadium.
Ian Stephenson, Technical Director at SKM said: “It has been immensely satisfying to see the design of Peter Mokaba Stadium come together at last. Our aim in carrying out the concept design was to produce a stadium that would save time, money and meet the very tight deadlines of the construction programme.”
“It has been a great honour for SKM to be involved with this project which is an excellent example of a fast-track sports programme and innovative engineering design.”