An operable steel roof made from COLORBOND steel by BlueScope Steel has been installed as part of Melbourne's Margaret Court Arena (MCA) redevelopment. The availability of COLORBOND steel in custom colours helped it win specification for the redevelopment of the iconic Australian sporting facility.
Melbourne's Margaret Court Arena has gained a 'fifth facade' in the form of the new roof made from COLORBOND Metallic steel in a custom colour called Copper Penny.
The MCA redevelopment is expected to be completed in time for the 2015 Australian Open Tennis Championships, and is a key Stage 1 component of the Victorian Government's $366 million Melbourne and Olympic Parks Precinct Redevelopment being delivered by Major Projects Victoria.
The MCA redevelopment increases the capacity of the arena and adds a mechanically enclosable roof to protect the venue and spectators from poor weather, allowing year-round usage while improving patron experience and enhancing back-of-house facilities. Melbourne's highly regarded NH Architecture (NHA) and renowned international stadium designers Populous (POP) are responsible for the arena’s strategic planning and design.
COLORBOND Metallic steel in Copper Penny colour and the LYSAGHT KLIP-LOK 700 HI-STRENGTH profile were selected for the 12,100m² roof primarily due to form and custom colour availability.
Joint architects NHA+POP explain the arena's enclosable roof is effectively the building's fifth facade; the view from above is just as important as the view from the street. With the Australian Open Tennis Championships being viewed all around the world, they needed to use a material that would make the roof stand out.
BlueScope Steel's COLORBOND Metallic steel was selected in the custom colour Copper Penny to provide a distinctive character on the site while complementing the neighbouring iconic stadia. The LYSAGHT KLIP-LOK 700 HI-STRENGTH profile also allowed them to give the roof a bespoke finish.
Another factor that helped COLORBOND Metallic steel to win specification as the arena's roofing material was its thermal efficiency, achieved through the use of BlueScope's Thermatech solar reflectance technology. The thermal efficiency factor will aid in reducing the effect of urban heat islands while making the arena more habitable.
