Sustainably designed stadium harvests rainwater and natural light.
Trying to grace the sports world with a green stadium, Cox Architects has designed the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium that combines state-of-the-art engineering with sustainability. The stadium has a bubble-like façade and is expected to be completed in 2010.
The stadium will have enough space to seat about 30,000 spectators and features a unique cantilever design, which coupled with a triangular panelized façade uses 50% less steel than a typical cantilevered roof structure.
The envelope will be composed of a combination of glass, metal and louvers, and the architects are planning a photovoltaic thin-film integration that will help power the stadium’s LED lighting units. The dome will also feature a rainwater harvesting system, natural lighting and natural ventilation to lower the structure’s dependence on grid electricity.
