Forsyth Barr Stadium - Dunedin, New Zealand - A new fully roofed rugby stadium for Otago
Otago, New Zealand, desired a new rugby stadium to replace the existing Carisbrook Park; colloquially known as 'The House of Pain' due to the sometimes severe winter weather that could plague major tournaments. New Zealand Rugby Union winning the rights to the 2011 Rugby World Cup provided the catalyst for this project to get under way. To be constructed on a new site close to the city, the new stadium was to be fully roofed, but needed to avoid the costs associated with opening sections and the like. The solution developed was for a relatively low transparent roof angled for beneficial transmission of sunlight to the turf. The region is subject to significant wind, seismic actions and to sub-alpine snow fall. These factors lead to a challenging project.
Trevor W. Robertson, BE(Hons), CPEng, IntPE
Structural and Building Services Manager, Sinclair Knight Merz Ltd, New Zealand