...out a way to make that work economically.”

The cantilever length and roof height changes in various parts of the building, with an arch at midfield. PS&S used Autodesk Revit to visualize the steel on a 3-D model.

A tensioned fabric roof protects the seats but exposes the grass to sun and rain.
Photo: New York Red Bulls
A tensioned fabric roof protects the seats but exposes the grass to sun and rain.

Birdair of Williamsville, N.Y., engineered, fabricated and installed the 322,276-sq-ft tensioned membrane roof and façade cladding system, with three different types of architectural fabric: a fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene-coated polytetrafluoroeethylene (PTFE) on the roof’s leading edge, a silver metallic-colored PTFE glass on the roof and upper façade, and a silver metallic-colored glass mesh on the lower façade. The woven PTFE can withstand temperatures from -100°F to 450°F and is flame resistant and waterproof.

“There is a very contained, enclosed feel to the seating bowl,” Szupinski says. “The front edge is translucent and the back is an opaque material.”

The west side, clad in three different types of metal panels, contains five levels. An 8-ft tall glass wall looks into the players’ corridor and the vomitory for players to enter or exit the field. A flash interview zone is provided for media to gather and talk with players.

Locker rooms and offices are located on the ground level. A press box is on the second floor and the main clubroom is on the third. The fourth floor features 20 luxury suites and a club area. An additional 10 suites are on level five, which also boasts a private club area. Club windows face out at a planned mixed-used development with offices, retail and housing.

“The club area is open to all the suite holders,” Szupinski says. “What we see in European stadiums is suite doors open, and people go in and out more than in [the United States]. It promotes interaction.”

Barbera reports the company completed the job without on-site safety incidents.

“We were able to deliver the project safely and do so in a timely fashion,” Barbera says. “We held comprehensive safety preplanning meetings before each task occurred, and the project benefited.”

Hunter Roberts completed the project early this year.

“This is a marquee project,” Waldron says. “It’s in a soccer-rich area and will be the cornerstone of Harrison’s redevelopment.”

Key Players:
Owner: Red Bull GmbH, Austria
Contractor: Hunter Roberts Construction Group, Newark, N.J.
Architect: Rossetti, Southfield, Mich.
Structural Engineer: PS&S, Warren, N.J.
Specialty Roofing Contractor: Birdair, Williamsville, N.Y.
Steel Fabricator: Canam Group, Quebec, Canada

Useful Sources:
Red Bull Arena http://www.redbullarena.us
New York Red Bulls http://web.mlsnet.com/t107/