On September 30th 2011, the new BC Place stadium in Vancouver/Canada has been officially opened. After the Olympic Winter Games 2010 in Vancouver, the existing air-supported dome arena has been replaced by an innovative new roof structure, meeting the demands of a state-of-the-art sport and multi-purpose facility, and also regaining an iconic architectural image for the city. The most significant element of the stadium roof is the inner, retractable roof that extends from the central hub to the glass roof perimeter, providing an open air atmosphere for various events if required. The inner roof is created by pneumatically stabilized membrane cushions that are designed to withstand the local severe snow conditions of up to 200 kg/m².
Prior to the football match between the BC Lions vs. Edmonton Eskimos with over 52.000 spectators the inner retractable roof opened for the first time during an public event.
Click here to see a time lapse movie of the construction on youtube.