It's never seeded, but one of the attractions at the Wimbledon Championships is the roof for the centre court. It’s an impressive sight. Over 5,000 square metres of strong, flexible, translucent material arching over the world-famous court.
Showing off the new roof of the centre court, Wimbledon © Graffiti by Numbers, flickr.com
Rod Sheard of the architects Populous described Wimbledon's retractable roof as a ‘massive technically demanding challenge’ and the ‘most demanding’ of the 50 major sports projects he has worked on. A span of 77 metres; clearance of over 16 metres; moving steel trusses - all covering an area equivalent to 7,500 Wimbledon umbrellas!
Over 5,000 square metres of fabric have to be folded into a small area when the roof is not in use. The roof can slide back when not in use. It is made of two sections with a total of nine bays of the roofing fabric.
There are ten trusses spanning approximately 77 metres across the court. The ends of each truss are supported by a set of wheels that move along a track positioned on the new ‘fixed’ roof of the centre court.
The two sections of roof are parked at the north and south ends. When the roof needs to close a combination of hydraulic jacks and arms are used. The trusses are moved apart and, at the same time, the fabric is unfolded and stretched until the two sections meet in an overlapping seam above the middle of the court.
The arch shape helps the structure to withstand loading from the elements such as heavy rain and wind and also allows plenty of space for players to lob the ball. The design allows natural light to reach the grass. An airflow system removes condensation from inside.
After the roof has been closed, play can resume within ten to 30 minutes, depending on what the weather is like. At last, a chance to put away those umbrellas and forget the phrase “rain stopped play”!
Other stadium roofs
Why not compare the new centre court roof at Wimbledon with other sporting stadium designs around the globe?
Rod Laver Arena – Melbourne, Australia
Wembley Stadium – London
Athens Olympic Stadium – Greece
Beijing National Stadium - China
Other sport projects by Populous
Arsenal Emirates Stadium
Sydney’s Olympic Stadium
London’s Olympic Stadium for 2012
