Christchurch Temporary Stadium
Ministry of Economic Development
Christchurch, New Zealand
The devastating earthquakes of 2011 left Christchurch without a large outdoor sporting and music events centre. As a city with a strong appreciation of sport and music, the government deemed it a high priority to provide a suitable facility for the community. For many, the construction of this stadium symbolised the start of the city’s recovery and rebuild.
With flexible seating and a capacity of 17,000 for standard events and additional seating configurations to accommodate 24,000 spectators, the stadium was the first and largest facility rebuilt following the 2011 earthquake.
Our team created complex 3D models of the grandstands and used unique design techniques in applying seismic loadings to the structure. The grandstand structures were designed to provide hinge points alleviating stress over the 120 metre span of some of the structures. The structure models contained up to 10,000 members and an analysis programme ran through the 40 load cases considered for the structure.
Upon construction, the proprietary grandstand systems were reinforced to deal with the high seismic loads with additional bays of scaffold frames, plan bracing, shear keys and tie down straps.
Calibre was engaged for this project following the successful delivery of the Eden Park Temporary Stadium Grandstand. Our team collaborated closely with suppliers and contractors to ensure the project was delivered in under 100 days.