S P A Z I O

NO 10 SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2007

China
Shanghai Stadium

Italy
Bolognini Hospital

U.S.A.
Al & Barrie Zesiger
Sports & Fitness
Center

Shanghai
Stadium
 Timothy Hursley
Spazio Mondo interviewed Weidlinger Associates.

What are the main architectural features of the

Shanghai Municipal Stadium?
The fabric roof is the most compelling architectural feature of the
Shanghai Municipal Stadium. This was the first long-span fabric-
covered roof to be built in China and the first time fabric was used
as an architectural feature in China. Originally, the plan was to use
plastic panels for the building. We persuaded the client that plastic
is not as strong as fabric nor as attractive over time since the
plastic degrades significantly.The stadium was the first to be built
after the Cultural Revolution, and Weidlinger engineers worked
closely with their Chinese counterparts and educated them in the
technology of fabric design and construction.

Shanghai's Municipal Stadium is the longest cantilevered

steel truss roof structure in the world. How do you combine
the functional aspects with the aesthetic aspects of this
structure?
The roof of this stadium is saddle-shaped. Its very long span

Shanghai
allows for great sight lines from the seats along both sides parallel
to the length of the field. The plan is asymmetrical, because it
encompasses a hotel to increase the economic viability of the
project. The drama and beauty of its structural system is bound
up with its functionality.

Stadium Shanghai is at the heart of China's bustling

economy. One of the most visible signs of the
city's growth is the sports center in the southwest
section of the city. The jewel of the center is the
Shanghai Municipal Stadium for track and field,
soccer, and cultural and sports extravaganzas.
Shanghai Municipal Stadium was built in 1997 when the Fabric Roof Structure How is the building inserted in the continuous architec-
8th National Games of People's Republic of China was Weidlinger Associates and Birdair, Inc., who designed and built tural development of the city?
held in Shanghai. Next year it will host the Football the roof of the Georgia Dome, were invited to provide the The Shanghai Municipal Stadium is beautifully situated in an
preliminary for the Olympic Games and Mondo has been design-build service for the fabric roof in order to provide the environment of neighboring sports facilities on the outskirts of the
awarded the renovation of the athletic track for this most advanced new technology, material and construction, a city. Much attention was paid to the use of public space
major event. detail of which can be seen in Figure 2. surrounding the main building. It incorporates a 5-star 280-room
hotel and an underground recreational athletics center. It has
The roof is unique in both configuration and appearance and
become one of the ten great landmarks of modern China.
represents the cooperative effort of both Chinese and American
Everyone loves it and it continues to be used to host a multitude
engineers and contractors; it is made of fabric and it can be
of events, including the Special Olympics in October 2007.
described as a translucent lightweight saddle-shaped canopy
ring formed by a steel cantilevered spatial structure consisting of
32 cantilever trusses. The Shanghai Institute of Architectural Fabric Roof Fabric Roof

Design and Research developed the conceptual design. Conventional Flying Mast
Roof
The complicated geometry and unique shape of the roof was Fabric Roof Panel
one of the most difficult design challenges of this project. The
roof is formed by two ellipses. The outer one measures 288.4 m
Main Steel Cantilever Truss
x 274.4 m and the inner one is 150 m x 213 m. The roof starts from
Cable
the outside edge and reaches toward a center oval opening. It
also rises and dips as it makes its circuit around the field matching
the undulating elevation of the back of the stands.
The plan is shown in Figure 1. Ref Point
X=0 Y=0 Z=0

Figure 1 Figure 2

SURFACE
Timothy Hursley

Outdoor Track
Sportflex Super X Performance
The construction of the new single building at the Bolognini
Hospital (Seriate, Milano) is the cornerstone of a far-reaching,
long-term project, whose main objective is to create a modern,
functional hospital complex.
Mondo met architect Von Wunster

The new building is part of an already functioning hospital
complex. What were the main problems you had to face?
There were no particular problems in terms of planning,
because the new buildings are separate from the existing
ones. In terms of plant engineering, the construction of a
Since 1997, there have been many changes in legislation, but
the funding has remained the same. Clearly, everything had to
be stripped down to the bare essentials, not only in terms of
aesthetics and the architectural structure, but also in terms of
finish. Obviously, we had to use materials which offered the

Bolognini
new technology centre kept interference to a minimum. best value for money.
Also, during the planning stage, we identified most of the
As regards major problems with the structure or installations,
sub-services in the area, and took steps to make sure they
I have to say, there weren't any. I should point out that some
would continue to function.
members of our group have been working in the healthcare
The new pavilion is particularly functional, and is also a sector for about thirty years, so they are familiar with the
striking architectural feature. What design strategies did
you follow? Where did you get the idea for the elevation?
I should first mention that the work is the second part of a larger
project that will lead to the creation of a completely new hospital.
We prepared both the general preliminary design and the first
Hospital The designers
round of works, which ended in 2002 (the emergency unit). took the difficult
There were various considerations that led to the design.
We noted that the shape of the land meant that the access road
decision to save
running along the west of the hospital, and the public and staff this plane tree,
car parks, were at the height of the first floor of the existing
buildings. We thought there would be no point in forcing the public which was a major
and staff to walk down a level and then go back up again.
limitation but also
This also triggered a theoretical consideration, that there should
be strict separation of the access for staff, the emergency unit, food for thought.
patients, outpatients and visitors. A modern hospital needs
a sequence of filters: someone visiting as an outpatient needs
all the services (information desk, appointments booking and
payment service, surgery and bar etc.) close to the entrance,
to avoid having to wander around the wards.

I must stress that the hospital layout was also determined by the
limited size of the area, and particularly because there is a historic
plane tree in the middle of the buildable area. The designers took
the difficult decision to save this plane tree, which was a major
limitation but also food for thought, as it had an interesting effect
on the plans for the ward building: the shape had to be semi- issues, which made project management and the overall
circular, to avoid interfering with the roots. organisation of the project a lot easier. Another key factor
was the presence of a corporate team which solved all the
The inner courtyard that was formed, with the large plane tree in
problems of everday interaction with the existing facilities.
the middle, is a central point that can be seen from the entire
hospital.
Design group and Project Management
The new building, just opened, is home to the major Arch. Glauco von Wunster
coordinator, co-designer, director of works
surgical departments. Considering the building's
Arch. Guido dell'Acqua - Ing. Enrico Fermi - Arch. Ettore Fermi - Arch. Filippo Terzaghi
function, did you pay special attention to the type of architectural design

materials used? Were there any particular problems
with the architectural design or installations?
The choice of finish had to be looked at within the context of
the more general problem of health service costs. The Seriate
hospital is a good example of this.
In 1997, the hospital authority prepared an initial plan, which
the Region of Lombardy considered was suitable for funding.
In 2000, the definitive and executive plans were drafted, in
Bosi Studio Associato - Ing. Enrico Piccinelli - Ing. Ezio Piccinelli - Ing. Aquilino Rubini
structural planning and operations management
Olbos s.r.l. - Ing. Attilio Susani
design & operations management for electrical & special installations
Mascheroni Studio Associato
design and operations management for thermo-mechanical installations
Ing. Giuseppe Pasinetti - design & operations management of urban development works
Ing. Donato Musci - planning and construction safety coordinator
Corporate Team assisting Project Management
Ing. Renato Mauri - procedural manager
Ezio Pulcini - site manager

2002 the works were contracted out, and they were completed
SURFACES
in 2006. All rooms Medical and surgical rooms
Punti Murale
Cove base VP5/100
Sasaki Associates and Sasaki Associates
Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo An appropriate foil to Saarinen's Kresge Auditorium and Chapel,
its apparent simplicity belies the highly considered and sophisti-
and Associates have recaptured cated response to its challenging context. It is at night however
that the new Zesiger Center comes to life. At this time, lit up like
the spirit of Eero Saarinen's a beacon, the building reveals its structure, and is
animated by the activities within, inviting members of the
original master plan with a highly community to participate.

functional and efficient building. Interior Design

At the heart of the building is the natatorium that rises
impressively through all three levels. It is the focal point of the
design around which all other sports are organized. Along the
north/south corridor Matthew Ritchie's work Games of Chance
and Skill links the main entrance with the secondary entrance off
Vassar Street. Designed in three parts for this space, the work is
a uniquely personal map of space and time. Underlying the work
is an abstract form the artist calls The Swimmer, representing
the space-time continuum.

State-of-the-art weight and fitness rooms are on the second

Al and floor as are extensive office accommodations. In an effort to

stimulate sharing of ideas across all sports, all the administrative

Barrie offices are in one area. As for the weight and fitness rooms, people
can choose to look south onto the Boston skyline or gaze

Zesiger
inwards into the natatorium and the swimmers below.The third
floor wraps around two sides of the natatorium and houses the
Multipurpose Activities Court and six international squash courts.
The MAC is designed for roller hockey, floor hockey, basketball,
volleyball and, with recessed goals, soccer. The light airy space
has also proved popular for other activities such as spinning.

Over 50 years ago Kevin Roche and Sasaki Associates

collaborated with Eero Saarinen in designing the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology's remarkable
Sports & Fitness Center
West Campus Master Plan. When it came time to outfit
forty-two varsity sports teams with a single home,
Sasaki Associates joined forces with Kevin Roche John
Dinkaloo and Associates to create the new and stunning
Al and Barrie Zesiger Sports and Fitness Center. The
result is a structure that captures the spirit of Saarinen's
original proposal in a way that is entirely appropriate to
the 21st century recreational and athletic needs of the
campus, its faculty and students, as well as the broader
Cambridge community.

It brings together many existing sports elements into one

structure, and creates internal links between them. The buildings
most significant contribution is the range of new facilities including,
at its heart, the impressive natatorium with a 50-meter pool and
smaller instructional pool. Other elements of the program include
World Class Design Yet the primary challenge in terms of exterior design was to Key Sasaki Achievements
large and small fitness rooms, six international squash courts, a
The challenge of designing the Al and Barrie Zesiger Sports visually link the Johnson Athletic Center with the Stratton Student 2008 Beijing Olympic Queen's University, Queen's Centre
multipurpose activities court, and administrative offices. These
Green Master Plan Kingston Ontario, Canada
and Fitness Center was imposing. The Zesiger Center is part Center. The new building is a calm and simple composition of
spaces wrap around the triple height natatorium. While many Beijing, China
of a current wave of new development that includes buildings a fritted glass curtain wall floating over a limestone arcade that Trinity College, Koeppel
activities offers spectacular views of the Boston skyline to the Harvard University Community Center
by luminaries such as Frank Gehry, Steven Hall, Fumihiko Maki echoes the main campus' neoclassical academic buildings.
south, others look back into the natatorium, which becomes a Hemenway Gymnasium Hartford, Connecticut
and Charles Correa. Not only would the Zesiger Center have Along the arcade, tantalizing glimpses into the natatorium are
focal point and orientation device within the building. As well Cambridge, Massachusetts United States Military Academy
to live up to the expectations of such a stellar list, it would also allowed through recessed windows. Separating the curtain
as accommodating the equipment issue, storage and laundry Cleveland State University Arvin Cadet Physical
have to respect the masterpieces of the past. In fact the south wall and the stone arcade is a thin strip of clear glazing at the Recreation Center Development Center
facilities to support the intercollegiate athletics, the center also
side of the building, with its main entrance, now flanks Saarinen's second floor which functionally allows views out from the Cleveland, Ohio West Point, New York
accommodates general locker rooms, team locker rooms, and
structurally daring Kresge Auditorium and his exquisite Chapel. offices and fitness rooms, but is also the key to the overall University of California, Loyola College in Maryland
an extensive medical training room.
Thus programmatically the Zesiger Center has completed the composition as it succeeds in linking the two facades of the Santa Barbara Recreation Center Fitness & Aquatic Center
semi-enclosed landscape that Saarinen had envisioned, adjacent buildings despite their different floor heights and Expansion Baltimore, Maryland
Santa Barbara, California
creating a unifying northern wall to the courtyard. materials. During the daytime the building facade is an essay in
SURFACES
quiet reserve. York College of Pennsylvania
Indoor & Outdoor Tracks Weight Room
Grumbacher Sports Facility Gymnasium Sport Impact
York, Pennsylvania Sportflex Super X
Performance
 Poste Italiane - PP
E c o m o my S M A
RIETI GRAND PRIX MEETING NO423/2007
IAAF WORLD ATHLETICS TOUR du 26.02.2007
SEPTEMBER 9 TH 2007

NEW WORLD
N E W S RECORD!
POWELL ASAFA JAM 9.74 (WR*)
Sunday, 9th September 2007: Asafa Powell of Jamaica breaks the World
100 m record with 9'74 (+1.7m/s wind) at the Rieti Grand Prix Meeting
IAAF World Athletics Tour on a Mondo Sportflex Super X athletics track.
This and other very good results confirm once again the undisputed and unrivalled
leading position of Mondo worldwide. Up to date no other tracks have collected
such a high number and similar performances. Congratulations to Asafa and to the
organizers of the Rieti Grand Prix Meeting which Mondo has also chosen to sponsor.
1. Powell Asafa JAM 9.74 (WR*)
2. Saidy Ndure Jaysuma NOR 10.07
3. Collins Kim SKN 10.14

TURF
A
Colorful Autumn with Mondo
Mondo presents a new range of
decorative Turf Products
If the autumn is the season of colours par excellence, autumn 2007 will
be more so than ever: this year, in fact, the explosion of colours offered
to us by nature, is accompanied by MONDOs explosion of colours
we are referring to the launch of the new CONTRACT collections, the
flooring for civil usage in rubber and PVC that MONDO will have on the
market in the months to come.

FOOTBALL

Successfully
Re-Tested FIFA 2 STAR ! Mondo presents a new range of Mondoturf artificial grass especially
designed for use in decorative applications. Suggested uses include areas
such as gardening and landscaping, architecture and civil engineering, etc.
Mondoturf artificial grass is manufac- obviously no work is necessary for
tured in Mondo production centres in watering, cutting, fertilising, treating
Italy and Spain. The Mondoturf for with herbicides, etc. The anti-UV
decorative use is specifically designed treatment of the fibre allows for
to satisfy the heavy demand for artificial continuous exposure of the product to
grass systems with appearance and bad weather, and its use is possible in
performance similar to natural grass. any type of weather environment.
Mondoturf creates natural environ- Recommendations:
ments in diverse situations such as Roundabouts, islands, medians,
Finnair Stadium Helsinki, Finland gardens, swimming pools etc., and is gardens, etc.
specially indicated for civil installations Recreational areas and spaces,
in urban spaces. playgrounds, nursery schools, etc.
The technical characteristics of the Sporting facilities, transit areas, etc.
fibres which make up the grass Housing developments, hotels, swim-
strands have a low installation and ming pools, shopping centres, etc.
maintenance cost. Specialist personnel Airports, speed tracks, etc.
If undeliverable please return to CPO di CUNEO

are not needed for the installation, and

OUR PRESENCE
SPORT EVENTS
Behrn Arena rebro, Sweden Eurobasket Women
October 4 - 7 Chieti, Italy
II Indoor Asian Games
Mondo is glad to announce that the football pitches installed at the Tolou
October 26 - November 3 Macau
Finnair Stadium in Helsinki (Finland) and the Behrn Arena in rebro XVII IHF Women's World
(Sweden), with MONDOTURF AE STAR EL 60 11 NSF have been Championship
December 2 - 16 France
successfully re-tested FIFA 2 STAR. The Homologation of the Finnair
Stadium pitch will be valid until 15 July 2008 while for the rebro pitch
the homologation will last until 21 May 2008. S P @ Z I O
ELECTRONICAL VERSION
FAIRS
FSB
October 31 November 2 Cologne, Germany
Railway Interiors Expo
November 6 - 8 Cologne, Germany
Technological design and innovation -
Energy saving in building construction
November 21, 15.00 pm
ATAHOTEL Villa Pamphili Rome, Italy
To receive Spazio Mondo as a PDF,
please send your request specifying which issue at:
marketing@mondoita.com

MONDO S.p.A., ITALY +39 0173 232 111 MONDO FRANCE S.A. +33 1 48264370 MONDO IBERICA +34 976 574 303 MONDO LUXEMBOURG S.A. +352 557078-1
MONDO PORTUGAL +351 21 234 23 18 MONDO UK +44 845 362 8311 MONDO RUSSIA +7 495 792-50-68

MORE NEWS AT

W W W. M O N D O W O R L D W I D E . C O M