KALZIP – „Alexander Stadium in Birmingham“

KALZIP HELPS TO REGENERATE STADIUM IN TIME FOR COMMONWEALTH GAMES

The enormous regeneration of Alexander Stadium in Birmingham was commissioned by Birmingham City Council, with a requirement for work to be complete in time for the Commonwealth Games in the summer of 2022. A range of products from Kalzip’s extensive range was specified for the project, which involved the construction of a new ‘West Stand’ along with construction of new North and South Bowl seating which increases the overall capacity from 12,700 to 18,000.

Planned down to the smallest detail

The Kalzip FC Cladding was specified for the fascia which extended to the full perimeter of the stadium roof. However, this posed a particular problem as the system isn’t designed to follow a fan shaped elevation when fitting the FC panels vertically. Therefore, a transition detail had to be developed in conjunction with Kalzip’s expert design department, in order to introduce bespoke transition panels at each grid line. This refined the orientation of the line to allow the next bank of panels to be installed correctly onto the subsequent bay.

An adjustable sub-structure was used to create the curve of the roof on to the flat decking. The Kalzip Deck Roof System was used to cover the roof. With this roofing system, a variation of geometries are possible, while also offering quick installation and durability against any weather conditions. Overall, 5,530 m² of Kalzip standing seam profiled sheets were installed on the roof and 830 m² of FC panels cover the facade.

A stadium not without its challenges

There were a number of challenges to overcome in order to complete Alexander Stadium, including working in line with strict COVID restrictions, so collaboration with all parties was key. Care was taken to ensure that everyone working on the project were able to adapt to the new working systems in order to prevent any drop in efficiency.

John McAllister from Kalzip said: “Due to the pandemic, the general availability of construction materials was more difficult than usual, with reduced availability and an increase in prices. As a result of Kalzip’s long-standing relationships with key primary international producers, we were able to navigate around the issue of material availability with a minimum of disruption, and also assist in keeping things on track and within budget for the client.

“Some of the standing seam panels used on Alexander Stadium measured over 40m in length, which certainly created some issues for us in terms of transportation and movement. The expertise of the team was essential for this, and careful planning was required to ensure that these panels were lifted onto the roof area safely and efficiently. A crane was used to transport the panels, and this ensured that no time was lost.

“Due to the dynamic shape of the stadium and the unique curvature of the roof, each halter clip needed to be set in its own specific position which required a high level of accuracy and attentional to detail. The setting out of halter clips was a meticulous, yet crucial job to the overall finish of the stadium’s roof.”

The Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, who chairs the WMCA said: “It was fantastic to see the regeneration of the Alexander sporting arena, of which the whole region can be proud of, and one fit to host the world’s leading athletes for years to come. But far more importantly the construction works on the stadium played a major role for people’s livelihoods by supporting vital construction jobs and apprenticeships both on site and in the wider business supply chain.”

A project that supported local communities

The overall result was the successful completion of a prestigious project, ultimately the construction provided one of the very best sports stadiums in the country, which played host to the Commonwealth Games. This project also involved the You Matter Communities Scheme, providing local communities and people with an opportunity to access small grants, volunteer time and unused materials from the construction process.

Construction and installation of the World Athletics Class 1 facility, including a new 400m six lane warm up track, the relaying of a new 400m, nine lane competition standard track, formation of a practice throwing field, stadium lighting and various associated highway and infrastructure works were also completed as part of the wider project.