Our Sydney team was commissioned to design the two large sightscreen footings and housing structure for the new viewing screen. The footings comprise reinforced concrete, which was poured in three different stages and measures 42m in length, 2.5m wide and 450mm deep. The support structure is six metres high by five metres wide and travels on wheels along two guide rails, which are hidden in a 450mm deep trench. Reinforcement comes from a block-work wall that can be found on either side of the railing.
When not in use, the trench is covered by aluminium lids and topped in AstroTurf. The rail system permits flexibility of the screen location and can be easily disassembled when required. A number of obstacles needed to be carefully considered in the design process, taking into consideration existing footings, firewater mains, plumbing and electrical components. It is vital to know where these are located in order to issue the correct design specifications and avoid any potential complications. Damage to these components would be costly and could result in severe time delays for the overall project.
Double the size of the previous screen, the new 270 square metre video board gives the SCG Australia’s largest high definition board at any sporting venue. With outstanding wide-angle viewing, the iconic Australian sports and entertainment hub upgrade will enhance the overall experience for the audience.
