Company:
Fabritecture

Project Details

Fabric 1

FGT-800 PTFE
Producer/Manufacturer: Chukoh Chemical Industries Ltd.
Primary Use: Main Fabric

Fabric 2

FGT-1000 PTFE
Producer/Manufacturer: Chukoh Chemical Industries Ltd.
Primary Use: Main Fabric

Fabric 3

TX30-III
Producer/Manufacturer: Serge Ferrari North America Inc.
Primary Use: Additional Fabric


Engineer Company 1
ARUP Group

Design Company
Fabritecture

Architect Company
COX Architecture

Subcontractor Company
Fabritecture

Project Manager Company
Fabritecture

Installation Company
Fabritecture


Please describe the project specifications

The Queensland Country Bank Stadium (formerly North Queensland Stadium) is a regional multi-sport stadium in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. We were contracted for the design and construction of the roof truss cladding in PTFE, and tensile fabric kites that sit at the rear of the trusses. The roof utilises Chukoh FGT-800 and FGT-1000 PTFE, while the tensile kits use Serge Ferrari TX30-III. Only the trusses are clad in fabric; the main cladding of the roof is not fabric.

The client requested an exciting and innovative tensile roof structure that could meet the initial brief. Our scope for the project included 36 PTFE fabric over the trusses and 31 kites made from TX30 along the façade of the stadium (no steelwork). The flat section between trusses is Colourbond roofing (by others). The stadium is located in a high wind load region, requiring stronger fabrics to be used.

The 25,000 seat stadium officially opened in early 2020 and is situated in the heart of Townsville’s CBD. It is also home to the North Queensland Cowboys rugby league team. The primary sports hosted at the venue will be rugby league, rugby union and soccer. The stadium also has the flexibility to host a variety of other entertainments including concerts and events. The design of the roof is a cantilever horseshoe shape that was inspired by the Pandanus tree, which is native to North-Eastern Australia. Three-quarters of the stadium seating is sheltered by the tension fabric roof.


What is unique or complex about the project?

COX Architecture, the Architect for the Stadium, describes the Pandanus tree as guiding the project design with a definitive sense of place for North Queensland by looking to the Indigenous and regional flora for inspirations. The representation of the Pandanus leaves are seen in the unique geometry of the roof.

Serge Ferrari TX30-III was the perfect membrane for the tensile kites and was chosen specifically for its properties that allowed the kites to be interactively backlit using LED lighting. The tensioning system achieves the curved geometry of the kites which was custom designed using stainless steel turnbuckles to achieve the final result.

The client was thrilled with the end results of the Queensland Country Bank Stadium project! The unique horseshoe design combined with the tension fabric roofing and LED lit kites create an exciting, highly customisable experience for all attendees. The stadium’s horseshoe-shaped design faces North, allowing a sense of interconnectedness between the venue, community and the Queensland surroundings as it faces towards the city and overlooks Magnetic Island.


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