The Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta stands as a groundbreaking multi-purpose venue, home to the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League and Atlanta United of Major League Soccer. Spanning nearly two million square feet, this iconic stadium offers seating for approximately 80,000 fans, setting a new benchmark in long-span roof structure design and fan experience. This stadium is not just a sports venue; it’s an architectural marvel and a testament to innovative engineering.
The stadium’s most striking feature is its unique oval retractable oculus roof, a world-first design composed of eight petal-like segments. This innovative roof appears to open and close with the elegance of a camera shutter, offering fans an open-air experience while maintaining climate control when needed.
Furthermore, Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium proudly holds the distinction of being the first LEED Platinum certified professional sports venue in North America, underscoring its commitment to sustainability and environmentally conscious design. With its substantial 80,000-seat capacity, the stadium is engineered to host major sporting events and entertainment spectacles on a grand scale.
The Challenge: Creating an Iconic, High-Performance Stadium
The design brief for the Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium presented a significant challenge: to create a world-class, iconic, high-performance stadium that would not only serve as a premier venue for sports but also introduce a novel approach to retractable roof technology. The vision included incorporating a massive scoreboard without compromising the open-sky views, demanding innovative solutions and meticulous planning.
Buro Happold, collaborating closely with HOK architects, took on this challenge, focusing on developing a retractable roof concept that was both functionally unique and aesthetically impressive. Roger Nickells, Partner at Buro Happold, highlighted the collaborative approach, stating: “Buro Happold worked closely with architect HOK to develop a retractable roof concept that was not only unique but also provided views to a large 360 degree ‘halo’ scoreboard to every spectator.”
The integration of the 360-degree “halo” scoreboard was a crucial aspect of the design. This high-definition LED video display ensures every fan enjoys an immersive and engaging theatrical experience, regardless of whether the roof is open or closed.
Innovative Solution: Petal Roof and ETFE Facade
The solution for the Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium’s retractable roof lies in its ingenious “petal” design. The roof can open or close in under 10 minutes, utilizing eight cantilevered petals that move in a synchronized pinwheel motion. This dynamic opening sequence adds an element of spectacle to the stadium experience. Furthermore, eight wing-like facade panels were incorporated as an architectural homage to the Atlanta Falcons, shaping the stadium’s distinctive and sculptural form.
To achieve the desired transparency and lightweight structure, the design team employed ETFE (Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene) cushions. This transparent, inflated material is exceptionally light, minimizing the load on the long-span cantilevered moving petals. When the petals retract, the oval-shaped opening extends across the entire field, from end zone to end zone. The translucent ETFE cushions provide stunning views of the Atlanta skyline and allow natural daylight to flood the stadium, enhancing the atmosphere of events.
The stadium’s facades showcase complex geometry framed with lightweight steel, contributing to its iconic exterior. Notably, the eastern facade features a pioneering application of single-skin ETFE, creating a “window to the city” with expansive views of downtown Atlanta. These single-skin ETFE facade panels are the first of their kind in the United States, offering effective insulation and reducing unwanted heat gain within the venue.
Sustainability was a core principle in the stadium’s design. Achieving LEED Platinum certification involved a comprehensive approach, including a detailed carbon footprint analysis using the LEEDv4 Life Cycle Assessment methodology to guide material selection. The stadium also incorporates a highly efficient water capture and reuse system and over 4,000 photovoltaic (PV) panels. These solar panels generate enough renewable energy annually to power ten Atlanta Falcons home games, significantly reducing the stadium’s environmental impact.
Value: A Groundbreaking Venue and Fan Experience
The collaborative efforts of the project team have culminated in a holistic design for Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium that prioritizes both an unparalleled fan experience and a visually striking venue for top-tier sports and entertainment events. Featuring an innovative long-span steel roof and the nation’s first single-skin ETFE facade, the stadium serves as a groundbreaking example of how elegant design can create an iconic, fan-friendly, and high-performance building in the sports and entertainment sector. Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium is more than just a stadium; it’s a destination, an experience, and a symbol of Atlanta’s innovation and ambition.
