John Stetson
"A Multi-Purpose Covered Stadium for Chicago" (MARCH 1987)
Advisor: David C. Sharpe
Structural Advisor: Mahjoub Elnimeiri
Model Photographs: Uncredited
Material: Fiberglass, steel, cables
Structural system: Cable tension system
Maximum span:
“The roof solution is a lightweight, tension cable system with a silicon-coated fiberglass membrane that protects spectators from wind and precipitation but has a large opening in the center to provide a feeling of being outdoors.”
John Stetson’s stadium proposal features an open-air roof system that allows for a natural grass playing surface while providing a covered overhead area for the seating. The main elements of the structural system are a central tensile ring to create the opening, with ridge and valley cables supporting the membrane, and masts to support the ring with cable stays at the perimeter of the circular stadium. The masts are 270 feet high and are spaced 100 feet apart.
