Kunshan
China
Serge Ferrari wraps Kunshan stadium
Located in Jiangsu Province, China, Kunshan enjoys a strategic position on the Yangtze Delta, one of the country’s most economically dynamic regions. Despite its success as a particularly active business and industry hub, the city has managed to preserve part of its ancient traditional identity. With its classical gardens with high-pace urban development, Kunshan captures the balance of history and modernity, attracting investors and visitors from all over the world.
The city was chosen as the location for the new Suzhou Kunshan Olympic Sports Centre, designed and built to FIFA standards in anticipation for the 2023 Asian Cup originally set to be hosted by China.
Kunshan Olympic Sports Centre Stadium
With a total footprint of roughly 170,000 sqm, the new Kunshan Stadium is a symbol of sporting values as much as local culture, celebrating the city’s recent economic and technological ascent. The 45,000-seat venue was designed to meet strictly international sporting facility standards set out by FIFA.
The design draws freely from traditional handheld fans, a reference to a local cultural staple, which also gives the building its unique visual appeal. The structure relies on a concrete double column frame to achieve the distinctive inverted bell shape of the upper portion of the external wall. Around it, a PTFE architectural membrane has been installed to finish the envelope, extending over the stands to create a canopy.
Kunshan Stadium Chooses PTFE Membranes
The canopy of Kunshan Stadium incorporates 61,000 sqm of B18589 PTFE membrane manufactured by Serge Ferrari Group. This technical PTFE fabric provides high levels of translucency, flooding the inside of the stadium with generous amounts of natural light and shielding spectators from bad weather. The internal face of the canopy is lined with two more fabrics — GF-7000 and GFi2000 — known for their exceptional resistance and light installation.
In total, some 73,000 sqm of PTFE membranes have been used on this project, chosen for their many benefits including fire resistance, long life span and high weather resistance. The use of Serge Ferrari Group’s PTFE membranes has allowed Kunshan Olympic Stadium to meet the strictest standards required for such large-scale sporting facilities.
Project Participants
Architecture and engineering: gmp Architects, Tongji Design Group (TJAD), sbp Schlesch Engineering Design & Consulting, WES Landscape Architecture, SUP Warner Engineering & Consulting
Installation: Sanxin
Copyright: CreatAR Images
