An efficient local supply chain and the forging of several strong relationships have been central to the successful opening of Perth Stadium.
When Perth’s new stadium was opened recently it was met with almost universal acclaim by the construction sector and members of the public. Extending over five levels, the 60,000-seat multipurpose stadium and surrounding Stadium Park began construction in December 2014 and met each of its milestones in the lead-up to its official opening in January 2018.
The design of the stadium was informed by the WA state government’s Better Places and Spaces policy such that it complemented the surrounding landscape and created a uniquely Western Australian built form. Bronze-coloured
anodised metal panels and louvres were used to symbolise the state’s unique geology, while glazed façade openings allow views to the city and the nearby hills.
Roofing dominates the aesthetics of any stadium design, offering a spectacle to visitors and setting one project apart from another. The design of the Perth Stadium roof is no different.
The stadium was constructed to give the appearance of the roof ‘floating’ above the façade, while a lightweight roof fabric that covers 85% of seating can be illuminated to display home team colours and graphics.
The roof’s design solution involved the use of trusses that cantilever towards the centre of the stadium bowl. Efficient use of steel meant that much of the roof’s material mass could be removed, thus delivering significant cost savings. The design also allowed the project’s architects to employ consistency of language in relation to the connections and the structure throughout the entire stadium and extending to the roof.
Steel the solution
Several of the parties involved in the construction of the stadium have attested to the importance of successful partnerships and a reliable supply chain for the stadium meeting its construction targets and opening to schedule.
The project has also proved to be a boon for local companies, with over $463.5 million worth of construction contracts awarded to local Western Australian companies throughout the three-year construction phase. The Westadium Consortium, which was contracted by the WA state government to design, build, partially finance and maintain Perth Stadium and Stadium Park, committed early on to supporting the government’s ‘Building Local Industry’ and ‘Buy Local’ policies.
Among the Australian firms that serviced the project was Liberty OneSteel Metalcentre, which supplied approximately 16,000 tonnes of structural steel to construct the stadium superstructure. The company fulfilled the consortium’s structural steel requirements by engaging with fabricator Civmec to provide a full supply of the fabricator’s requirements across all the steel product groups and through the use of several different supply chains.
In relation to the 13,500 tonnes of reinforcing steel used in the stadium build, Maurice Murphy, Senior Key Account Manager–Prefabrication and Contracts at Liberty OneSteel Reinforcing, stated: “We can say, with confidence, that from ground to roof level the majority of the steel used was Australian-made steel”.
With the stadium situated on reclaimed land and requiring approximately 2000 reinforced precast concrete piles to be driven 35m deep in support of the structure, Liberty OneSteel Reinforcing worked closely with piling firm Wagstaff Piling to supply approximately 2500 tonnes of scheduled and precast tolerance processed steel reinforcing bar.
For the pre-cast concrete seating platforms on which the stadium’s spectator seats are mounted, Liberty OneSteel Reinforcing supplied 1500 tonnes of scheduled and precast tolerance processed steel reinforcing bar to Mundijong-based manufacturer PERMAcast. Over 3000 units make up the stadium seating plats, with over 20,000 tonnes of concrete poured during the manufacturing period.
An additional 10,000 tonnes of scheduled and processed steel reinforcing bar was provided for use in the superstructure.
The project is deserving of every accolade given to it, Murphy said.
“The way the stadium came together is a real credit to the project’s commercial and construction teams,” he said. “It’s a fabulous-looking stadium and it’s something I know the people of Western Australia should feel very proud of.”