Birdair Designs Debut at the 2014 FIFA World Cup

The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup is the king of soccer competitions, so it’s only appropriate that three of the 2014 venues will be crowned with roofing by Birdair, the leading specialty design build contractor of lightweight long-span roofing systems and tensile structures of all sizes.

The renovation of Estadio Mineirao Arena in Belo Horizonte and Estadio Nacional in Brasilia, as well as the construction of the Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador are now completed. Their new looks are ready to debut at the 2014 FIFAWorld Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil. In 2011, Birdair, through its subsidiary Taiyo Birdair do Brasil (TBB), Ltda. of Sao Paulo, Brazil was awarded contracts to assist in the construction or modernization of the three event venues.

Estadio Mineirão

Estadio Mineirão, built in 1965 and listed as a national monument of Brazil, underwent a three-year modernization project to prepare for hosting six of the FIFA World Cup matches. It was transformed into a modern stadium with a new tensile roofing system from Birdair, Inc. The 141,000-square-foot tensile roof was added to the concrete upper tier of the stadium in order to provide shelter for 70,000 spectators while meeting aesthetic, acoustic, and environmental impact requirements.

Birdair fabricated and supplied TiO2 – coated PTFE, a Teflon®-coated woven fiberglass membrane for the facility. Taiyo Birdair do Brazil, a subsidiary of Birdair, was responsible for installing the PTFE tensile membrane. TiO2 (titanium dioxide), a non-toxic and flame-resistant coating allows fabric to break down any organic materials that settle on the membrane, such as dirt. It is capable of withstanding temperatures from minus 100 degrees F to 500 degrees F, is unaffected by UV rays, and requires less maintenance to retain its pristine appearance due to its self-cleaning capabilities. Ultimately, this TiO2 membrane is an economic and environmentally sustainable renovation that will provide fans with much-needed comfort as well as improve a national landmark.

Estádio Nacional

Estádio Nacional, originally built in 1974 and located in Brazil’s capital, also underwent major reconstruction for the World Cup – expanding its capacity from 42,200 to 70,042 to host seven World Cup matches. Birdair fabricated and supplied the PTFE fiberglass membrane, clamping and hardware for the facility. The consortium Taiyo Birdair do Brasil – Entap – Protende was responsible for installing the entire roof’s steel and cable structure, including the PTFE outer roof and liner membrane. The project involved building a new lower tier and retaining the upper tier with the addition of a new 920,000-square-foot double-layer suspended tensile roof.

Fonte Nova Stadium

Birdair, Inc., through Taiyo Birdair do Brasil (TBB), Ltda. additionally was awarded a subcontract for the roof construction of Fonte Nova Stadium in Salvador, Brazil. The stadium is modelled on its predecessor, the Estadio Octavio Mangabeira, and features three levels of seating with a view of the magnificent Dique do Tororó. Its oval-shape roof design will provide cover for 50,000 spectators during each of the six games hosted at Fonte Nova during the tournament.

Birdair’s project role consisted of detailing, fabricating and supplying PTFE, a Teflon®-coated woven fiberglass membrane that makes up the facility’s lightweight tensile roofing system. Taiyo Birdair do Brazil fully installed the PTFE membrane for the 301,399-square-foot tensile roof. The facility’s tensile roof provides many benefits such as natural daylighting, solar shading and minimal maintenance and contributes to the unique aesthetics of the new Fonte Nova Stadium.

The Birdair Advantage

PTFE fiberglass membrane structures have received increased global recognition as green living is becoming more important. Upon completion, both Estádio Mineirão and Estádio Nacional applied for LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, which is given to projects that use less materials and increase daylighting to conserve resources and increase sustainability. The project team is hopeful that Estádio Nacional will be the world’s first football (soccer) stadium to receive LEED Platinum certification.

Birdair has become an increasingly global organization and has completed work on over 85 sports facilities globally, incorporating tensile architecture into a variety of single-sport and multi-purpose stadiums and arenas. Thanks to Birdair and its subsidiary, Taiyo Birdair do Brasil (TBB), Ltda, these three arenas featuring cutting edge tensile roofing structures will contribute to making the 2014 FIFA World Cup a success.

The 20th FIFA World Cup is scheduled for June 12 through July 13, 2014 in 12 different Brazil host cities.

Teflon® is a registered trademark of E. I. Du Pont De Nemours and Company, Delaware.

LEED and the related logo is a trademark owned by the U.S. Green Building Council and is used with permission.

Download PDF Version: BDA_Birdair Designs Debut at the 2014 Fifa World Cup_Final