Shade Sculpture are delighted to announce it’s finally done. Cramming what should have been a 9-month project in to only 3-months, Shade Sculpture are the first company to design and have installed an ATP approved demountable and reusable tennis roof. The structure spanning almost 50-meters across and close to 17-meters high is ‘we believe’ the largest clear span demountable and reusable tensile structure in the world. Specifications of the structures side opening heights were governed by the end client to adhere to audience sight lines in the surrounding stands.
The vaulted dome canopy structure was installed last week in Edinburgh for Scotland’s first ever professional ATP tournament ‘Brodies Champions of Tennis‘. Using a series of ground anchors, pivot foundation plates and a membrane that does not rely on attachment to the steelwork to achieve wind efficiency, the structure requires no concrete foundations; meaning it can be dismantled and reinstalled without damaging the installation site.
The structure has almost limitless capabilities for other such sporting events, concerts and festivals etc. and can easily be utilised in a modular format to cover vast areas. We have already begun discussions with several parties to look at taking this design concept further into the sporting arena. As a company we have learned a lot from this project and are already looking at engineering upgrades to make the design more functional and adaptive; including the option for re-tractability. Now that would be something!!
Shade Sculptures’ Chief designer for the project said “There are many complications to such a design and customer restrictions which had to be overcome in an extremely short time………..but finally its up”. “As a tensile design and engineering company we would have liked to have covered more of a footprint to achieve this projects goal, however due to site, stand and other restrictions this was not possible”. “We have all worked hard to get this project to were it is and allow the first ever ATP tournament to be played in Scotland”. “I think we now all need a rest!”
