Ziggo Dome
| Client | Black Box Real Estate B.V. |
| Completion time | 2009 – 2011 |
| Market | Art and culture |
| Team | |
| In collaboration with | Benthem Crouwel Architects |
| Location | Amsterdam |
| Project scope | 45,000 m2 bvo |
Structural design
Sound can best be isolated by applying a lot of mass. However, the roof surface measured a substantial 90×90 meters, and of course, no columns could be used as they would obstruct the view. This required an efficient design of the steel structure.
To achieve the required span, four main girders were designed, consisting of steel trusses measuring 6×6 meters. This divided the roof into 9 sections. Once these main girders were installed, the intermediate sections could be added. The fact that such a lightweight steel structure can absorb large forces is evidenced by the overhead cranes hanging from it, which can carry a total of 100 tons.
Extra mass in roof construction
The downside of this material-efficient construction is that it actually has too little mass to contain sound. This was solved by integrating extra mass into the roof construction. Aerated concrete floors were installed on the top and bottom of the roof trusses. This setup provides sufficient sound insulation. Additionally, insulation was added under this roof to reduce the reverberation time of the enormous hall.
Vibrations
To properly accommodate the crowd moving with the music, the floor construction had to be strong enough. The stiffness of the floor is particularly important because movements or vibrations should not be felt. This design requirement can lead to a lot of structural force, using too much material. The real challenge is to meet the requirements with as little material as possible. And this has been successfully achieved at the Ziggo Dome.
Images © Harteloch Aerial Photography, Kruining, Ferdy Damman, Jannes Linders
