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Studco’s involvement in the major redevelopment of the Margaret Court Arena helps give the Australian Open its third retractable roof tennis court at the Melbourne Park complex.
As part of the $700 million redevelopment of the Melbourne and Olympic Parks events precinct, the Margaret Court Arena has undergone a significant transformation including the erection of a 9 metre high acoustic perimeter wall and the installation of the fastest operable roof in the world which will allow the stadium to operate in all weather environments.
The project presented some of the most complex challenges ever seen by Studco®: extreme roof deflection in two directions, rigorous acoustic performance, enormous free-spanning wall heights intersecting with a multi-faceted roof structure, and punishing wind pressures. To complicate matters further, the 2014 Australian Open was held at the site halfway through the two year build program.
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Overcoming these formidable obstacles was achieved using a collaborative approach under the direction of builder Lend Lease and the use of innovative technologies including Studco’s real-time 3D CAD modelling and computer-based acoustic simulations. Routine weekly inspections then followed up to ensure correct installation and design compliance.
Thousands of custom-rolled 150mm steel studs were used in a chase wall configuration in conjunction with Resilmount® M24R chase wall resilient brackets to create the main wall structure around the stadium. The wall was then lined with USG Boral Fibrerock and Multistop lining boards along with a variety of different feature panelling components.
This design achieved significant cost savings from the original design, made on-site handling of materials easier and improved overall build efficiencies. It also removed the need for many heavy, fabricated structural steel sections using innovative combinations of Studco’s lightweight steel sections.
Studco’s involvement in the Margaret Court Arena project continues the long term association Studco has with Major Projects Victoria including the Melbourne Markets in Epping, Hamer Hall Redevelopment, AgriBio Centre at Latrobe University, the Melbourne Recital Centre and The Australian Synchrotron.
