Birdair has been awarded the design-build contract to provide the cable structure and fabric roofing system for the stadium. Birdair will engineer, construct and install a 312,545 square feet tensile roof featuring Birdair’s steel cable systems and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a Teflon-coated woven fiberglass membrane. The project team consists of Birdair, engineer Weidlinger and Associates and general contractor Astillero Rio Santiago.
The PTFE fiberglass membrane is being installed to cover the seating area, providing shade and protection to the fans during soccer and cultural events, as stated by Kevin Mayer, vice president of business development for Birdair. PTFE fiberglass is said to require minimal maintenance as the fabric is highly resistant to dirt and pollution.
Opened on June 7, 2003, the 53,000-seat Estadio Ciudad de La Plata designed by architect Roberto Ferreira, is one of the most modern stadiums in Latin America. It has also been confirmed as one of seven venues to host the 2011 Copa América in Argentina. It will host the opening game and the final.
With over 50 years of experience, Birdair has completed more than 1200 major installations in more than 30 countries, requiring over 30 million square feet of architectural fabric membrane.
