schlaich bergermann partner (sbp) was asked to find a lightweight design solution for a tensile canopy over the new 25,000-seat Major League Soccer stadium for Inter Miami CF in Miami. The result is a state-of-the-art spoked wheel cable roof that provides shelter from sun and rain over the stadium’s seating bowl and exterior concourse. The open ring roof marks the first time this structural system has been realized in a US stadium.
The elliptical roof structure is a self-anchored tensile-compression ring system, which is based on the principle of a horizontal spoked wheel. The innovative option features an outer compression ring and two tension rings, which are supported by a system of columns. A dual system of radial cables and cantilevered beams connect the compression and tension rings, completing the spokes. This structure allows for the canopy roof to have an expansive 325,000 sf of uninterrupted enclosure space overhead. A diagonal grid of membrane arches and ties form the PTFE cladding, framing above the stadium’s stands and concourse. This provides an almost transparent membrane for comfortable lighting within the stadium.
The Nu Stadium was delivered on a fast-track schedule and will serve as the centerpiece for the greater Freedom Park development, which will host acres of public parks and green space, restaurants and shops, and soccer fields for the local community.
