Inspection of a Commercial Building in Melbourne In Focus: Etihad Stadium - Case Study Example

Inspection of a commercial building in Melbourne In focus: Eithad Stadium Introduction Melbourne's Docklands precinct has one stadium that plays host to a number of sporting and non-sporting events, which include cricket, football, rugby league/ union, Australia football and concerts. The multipurpose venue with a seating capacity of 55,000 people is Etihad Stadium, located bang on the edge of Central Business District of Melbourne and assumes the central position in Docklands Development. The stadium is strategically located between Bourke St, Harbour Esplanade, North South Rd, and Latrobe St. There is a pedestrian bridge running over Spencer Street Station from Bourke Street which takes people supposed to go to the stadium right up to its front entrance; that is an easy walk of not more than 180 meters from the city. The parking accommodates as many as 2500 cars nearby facilities can occupy around 4000 cars. One interesting feature of its history is that it so far had three naming rights sponsors since it began functioning in 2000. From being known as Colonial Stadium at its inception, later in October 2002, became Telstra Dome and in March 2009 it was named as Etihad Stadium, which happened because the naming rights deal was struck with UAE's popular Etihad Airways. Aspects of design The most interesting feature of the stadium is its retractable roof, which makes it fit for use for all weather conditions. The roof is fitted with an automatic system which enables it to either open or close with 20 minutes. The roof is designed such that even if it is open, still around 98 percent of the audience are safely perched for a undisturbed view of what is happening in the stadium far behind the drip line. When closed the height that ceiling assumes is 24 meters underside of the support structure and 35 meters underside of the fixed structure (Austradiums, 2013). It is assumed that the closing roof feature of the stadium changes the very nature of live spectator experience, which is brought about by unique feature of creating atmosphere noise and light breakout, and overall comfort (Populous, nd). The stadium can hold many entertainment and sporting events because it can be re-configured to suit every need. The lower tiers, which are movable, can be configured into rectangular ones so as to make customize them for the type of event that is being held. For a rectangular sport, where the seating must be as close to the sporting event as possible, this stadium offers the advantage of shifting seats 18 meters forward. When the project was conceptualised by Daryl Jackson Bligh Lobb Sports Architecture Pty Ltd., its architects, Young Consulting Engineers, who are experts in pitch construction, were roped in to construct the pitch because it was supposed to offer many challenges on account of uniqueness of the stadium. This was because closed roof and under cover seating posed challenges to natural turf surface. The problem was the shade; as high as 30 percent of the arena does not receive sun particularly in the winter months when the sporting events are more than those in summer. Pitch and turf The pitch is developed over the concrete slab meant to house parking underneath and the pitch profile includes use of drainage and irrigation zones, slab waterproofing, and reinforced sandstone and grass. The benchmark for the reinforcement was used as according to United States Golf Course Association guidelines. It was because the profile, which has been used at many other venues in Australia, has proved to be an ideal choice for Australian weather conditions. This natural turf is capable of withstanding intense schedule of events particularly in winter season, when number of events held is high. The reinforcing agent used in the construction of playing surface is seen to meeting necessary requirements of turf's stability, maintenance of playing characteristics, reduced wear on account of turf rootzone and canopy, increased turf recovery and scope for replacement whenever needed. The turf replacement is such that it does not take long enough to replace the turf at the affected areas with disturbing anything else during the changeover period (AGCSA, nd). Irrigation system The irrigation system has been developed such that it works effectively since the stadium has differential surface conditions, most of which are caused by shade and moving tiers. The system, thus, is designed in a way that it offers maximum degree of flexibility. The system is fitted with zoning control which customised to the need imposed by moving tiers. Fitted with individual sprinkler control it is capable of running multiple schedules. In order to detect moisture levels at the profile, sensors are fitted to relay the moisture content throughout 24 hours. It also gives details of nutrient levels present in the profile at any point of time and all data that the sensors accumulate is relayed to Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System (SCADA system) office in the stadium. Moving tier sodpans As mentioned above, the stadium has moving tier sodpans. It is based on a support system of eight trenches; the highest one being 18 meters high and besides this there are 120 spigot supports which are not visible because they are concealed by the natural turf which sodpans contain. In all there are approximately two-hundred-metre-squares of sodpans forming the playing surface used for different sporting and entertainment events. These sodpans have placement tolerance which is stringent, surface that is highly stable, changeover time that is rapid and performance that is consistent. All moving tiers are in retracted position. For events, like rugby and soccer, in which rectangular configuration is required, sodpans can be entirely removed. Seen as a catalyst for regeneration in the development of Docklands precinct, Eithad Stadium was built with one priority on mind; and that was generation of a high commercial return. The features, other than those enumerated above, which the stadium incorporates include multipurpose entertainment zone, gaming rooms, bars, restaurants, a night club, television and radio studios. Access to all of these is both from within and outside of the stadium, which makes it a happening place throughout the week and all through the year, even in absence of any sporting or entertainment events being held within. In all the stadium is replete with a number of features that include display screens for advertisements and internal replay screening, one super screen that is placed externally, 1000 video seats, function rooms (thirteen in all), corporate boxes (66 in all), The Medallion Club (premium club membership area), arena illumination facility (as many as 700 2000-watt lights), seating capacity of more than 50,000 seats for Australian Football League (AFL), and playing area of 174.4 yards by 140.5 yards. Most mentionable of the VIP corporate experience at Eithad Stadium is this new corporate box, called Diamond Club, which has been hailed as the world's most luxurious a stadium can have (Austadiums, 2010). The is a two-storey club, which boasts of cocktail waitresses, private chefs, and giant reclining leather seats. The most exciting feature is that it is perched on stadium's top deck; though that comes at a reported annual membership cost of $ 12,000. The boss at the stadium dubs that amount as the price one has to pay for a stylish experience at the stadium. Modelled on international business class lounges of Eithad Airways, here it comes with an added advantage of watching world's face game live. Eithad Stadium website reveals that total memberships available are only 90 in all. Ventilation In order to save the capital costs on using a mechanical ventilation system, the stadium uses what is known as CFD or computational fluid dynamics. CFD is considered as an effective system that provides a natural ventilation solution. The stadium conducted a study to check the viability of use of CFD from both effectiveness and cost perspectives, keeping ion view solar loads and heat gained from people present in the seats and elsewhere. Subsequently low and high ventilation openings were incorporated in the design along with suitable roof insulation. Strip roof vents were used, particularly for stadium's closed roof position. These were installed in sync with vomitory openings and suitable facade. The latter were designed such that they provided opening restrictions. To make sure that the design worked, the designers simulated the situation through an onerous design case, which meant working out solutions on full capacity crowd, hot but sunny day and roof closed. The ventilation system has been designed such that it works effectively in both occupant and ambient conditions of the stadium. The ventilation aspects were worked in conjunction with fire safety issues. This was more thought about in closed roof position. Prior to this an analysis was undertaken in a fire scenario of 15 MW output (typical output in case of speaker racks and burning concert equipment). The ventilation system was able to expel all gases and hot smoke effectively (Jal, 2004). Lighting In 2007 the stadium imported a multi-million lighting system from Holland in order to provide the contentious surface at Eithad: then Telestra, AFL's indoor showcase, more stability. That year it imported state-of-the-art artificial lighting system from Holland for turf management and the rigs were in operation in the following event season. At that point of time Ian Collins, who headed the stadium, said the $A2.2 million technology was expected to produce playing surface of high quality and effect throughout the year. It is noteworthy that this very lighting system is used in most of Europe's best-known stadia like PSV Eindhoven. It has also been installed by Arsenal, Liverpool, West Ham and Tottenham; all English Premier League Clubs. IF the Eithad Stadium is to be seen from a footballers perspective, the lighting system can said to have added another glitz to the venue in terms of both experience and ambience (Austadiums, 2007). Signages Newer towering apartments that have come up around the stadium might be intercepting it from many views, but signage to and within the stadium are pretty clear. In the proverbial sense, its best signage is the alliance with Eithad Airways that has a towering name of its own and operates its flights to and from Melbourne without fail. Just last August, James Hogan, ex-Melbournian and chief executive of Eithad Airways, spoke on the stadium as "the stadium's beauty being that it an all-year-round billboard" (Heasley, 2012). Wayfinding and accessibility The stadium is located at Harbour Esplanade, Docklands. There are guided tours taking place to the stadium in absence of any sporting or entertainment events and it is pretty much an accepted norm now that on match days one has to enter the stadium either from Wurundjeri Way (corresponding with car parking D and E) or Bourke Street Extension (corresponding with car parking B and B). For facilitating directions, staff are always on duty. When no match is taking plays, entrance is from Bourke Street Extension through car parking B. If one is looking for access from Southern Cross station, he is serviced by a 20-metre wide pedestrian bridge that leads directly to the front entrance of the stadium. There are signages that show the visitors way to Food Court on gates 8 and 9. Directions are also given to several bars within the stadium, notable few of them being EJ Whitten and Axcess One. Benefits with the design The greatest benefit of this stadium is that it can host at least five sports - Australian football, rugby league, rugby union, football and cricket. The capacity being 56,347 (even though the stadium has had a record crowd of 56,771 on June 29, 2013 when Wallabies v British & Irish Lions clashed), is fitted with state-of-the-art lighting systems and has two video screens to beam wider perspective of what is happening with the stadium. If Collins statement is anything to go by, he claims as on date it is a better stadium to be at than MCG or Melbourne Cricket Ground, even as it is not as old as MCG is. The atmosphere at Eithad is better than MCG. However, the most interesting and debatable feature of the design is that despite being bigger, it does not take the crowd away from the sport. The beauty of this stadium, actually, lies in its roof, which allows spectators to be as much near the sports, the sportspersons and the overall action as possible. The compactness of Eithad prevents it from attaining an ordinary atmosphere even when the crowd is thin. Arguably this is normally what happens with bigger stadia which tend to make the game look ordinary when the spectator presence is thin. Here at Eithad, irrespective of who is or is not seated next to you, the feeling is cosy. Is Eithad current or obsolete? When the stadium was made, it generated a lot of criticism, which continued long thereafter. It has changed three hands so far, and the recent one holding it is Eithad, a group known for its examples, exuberance and excellence. That, on its own, future-proofs it. References Austadiums., (nd). Etihad Stadium. Available http://www.austadiums.com/stadiums/stadiums.php?id=120. Accessed September 08, 2013. AGCSA. (nd). Colonial Stadium - The Pitch, The Focal Point Paul Simpson, Young Consulting Engineers, Australia Australian, Turfgrass Management Volume 1.6 (December - January 2000). Available http://www.agcsa.com.au/static/atm_articles/html/1_6a.html. Accessed SEptember 08, 2013. Austadiums., (2007). New lighting to boost Telstra Dome surface. Available http://www.austadiums.com/news/news.php?id=326. Accessed September 08, 2013. Austadiums., (2010). Diamond experience at Etihad. Available http://www.austadiums.com/news/news.php?id=431. Accessed September 08, 2013. Jal, E.N., (2004). Using CFD for sports arena and stadia design. Available http://mail.airah.org.au/downloads/2004-10-01.pdf. Accessed September 08, 2013. Populous., (2000). Available http://populous.com/project/etihad-stadium/. Accessed September 08, 2013. Read More