Concept, design and realization of the Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South Africa for the Football World Cup 2010

Abstract

As part of the City of Durban's redevelopment program the projected World Cup stadium was chosen to create an icon for the KwaZulu Natal region and Durban, being the 2nd largest city of South Africa. The ambitious plan to gain international attention enabled the lead architects von Gerkan Marg und Partner, Berlin, the lead structural engineers Schlaich Bergermann and Partner, Stuttgart and BKS, Durban to design an outstanding stadium of unprecedented scale and beauty and therefore won the design competition. The multipurpose stadium with a possible capacity of 85,000 seats features a unique roof structure of 46,000m² of Glass/PTFE membrane being prestressed against a cable net. The cable net is tensioned against two steel compression rings along the perimeter of the stadium and a major arch structure with 103m height and 360m distance between its foundations.