Merit Award US $100M and above STADIUM , OH JUROR’S COMMENTS The structure appears light and airy and belies the size and mass of this type of facility. The imagery of stadium as coliseum is recaptured and enhanced by the flowing shape of the structure and the skillful combination of materials and design details.

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Modern Steel Construction / July 2001 ooner or later, spectacular design, diffusing sunlight, cityscape, creating mood-enhancing someone was creating intimacy within the bowl and environments with the changing light. going to reach focusing attention towards the field. Cantilevers 85 feet-long, supported out for a tailor- The goal was to create a sensual line as by twin box-section boomerang made and inno- the roof meets the sky; by applying in- columns were stiffened by rear tie vative“S design...It’s going to take the tricate geometry, structural steel clad members, prestressed to enable them to NFL stadium to a new level—the with translucent fabric enabled full ex- resist load reversal from wind uplift on changes will be dramatic.” In this state- pression of the canopy’s sophisticated the roof. This trussing action increased ment, NFL Commisioner Paul Tagli- design. the efficiency of the steel structure abue endorses the successful design of Exposed steel, fabric and pre-cast while adding dramatic form and visual this new 65,000-seat stadium. concrete work in concert with perfo- dynamics. Judicious application of the The elegant swooping roof is the rated steel and glass skins, provided prestress halved the maximum bend- signature feature for the building’s tactile elements that blend with the ing moments in the boomerangs. Key

July 2001 / Modern Steel Construction parameters, such as sight lines, helped generate raker beam and boomerang column positions. Elimination of the end zones breaks up the massing of the bowl and invites passers-by to glimpse stadium action. The 60’ cantilevered design for the last two bays of the exposed upper seating bowl achieves column-free sightlines, elegant aesthetics and acceptable vi- bration levels for foot-stomping, danc- ing crowds.

PROJECT TEAM ARCHITECT: NBBJ Sports & Entertainment, Marina del Rey, CA

OWNER: Hamilton County, Department of Public Works, Cincinnati STEEL DETAILER: PHOTOGRAPHER: T&T Structural, Inc, Rocky Hill, CT Tim Griffith, , Cincinnati NBBJ Sports & Entertainment Dowco Consultants Ltd, Burnaby, British , New York City Columbia (AISC & NISD members)

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Arup, Los Angeles Tuner Construction, Cincinnati Barton Malow Company, Baltimore STEEL FABRICATOR: Southern Fabricators, DAG Construction Company, Cincinnati Batavia, OH (AISC member) SOFTWARE: STEEL ERECTOR: SAP 2000, and FLOOR (& ETABS for the SOFCO Erectors, Inc., Cincinnati concrete frames supporting the 60’ can- tilevers). Additional design programs in- Ben Hur Construction Co., clude: RISA 3D, ADOSS, PCACOL, Fairfield, OH (NEA member) ENERCALC