Architectural masterpieces are created where creative visions meet technical innovation. A prime example of this is today’s Sühwag Energie ARENA in Frankfurt, which was still known as the “Ballsporthalle Frankfurt” at the time of its construction in 1987/88. To this day, BEMO’s striking building envelope is a symbol of technical sophistication and architectural expressiveness. The special thing about the project is not only the unusual shape, but also the way in which the standing seam profiles have found their way onto the roof.
Architecture inspired by the form of a football: a challenge for design and technology
The hall’s idiosyncratic architecture was designed by the architectural consortium of Balser, Gabriela Seifert and Zvonko Turkali and is modelled on a cross-section of a football. It offers space for 5002 spectators and is now mainly used for basketball, volleyball and handball games. Since its opening in 1988, numerous major events have taken place in the hall: ATP tennis and indoor soccer tournaments, handball and basketball international matches as well as world championships in kickboxing. In addition, the sports hall is also used for trade fairs, presentations and concerts.
Technical masterpiece: Mobile rollformers in action
The biggest challenge in this project? The realization of the extraordinary roof construction. The assembly company Weber Bausysteme from Reutlingen was already in contact with the architects during the planning phase in order to realise the unique shape at the time. But when the question of feasibility arose, BEMO was brought on board.
After intensive technical analyses, it was clear that the desired 77.5-metre-long standing seam profiles could be produced in one piece on site – an absolute novelty at the time. The highlight: The profiles were produced directly on site with a mobile BEMO rollformer. This was mounted on a 10.5-metre-high steel scaffolding, which could be moved along the hall on crane runway rails. This meant that the standing seam profiles could be produced precisely and directly onto the roof level and installed seamlessly.
50 tons of innovation: A new chapter in metal construction
For mobile production, a 500 m² area was created along the building that could support the weight of the roll former, the steel structure and the coils – a total of around 50 tons. This method of mobile production direct onto the roof level celebrated its premiere here and set new standards in the field of roof and façade technology.
Today, our mobile rollformers are in use worldwide and offer architects and builders maximum flexibility in the implementation of complex projects. The Ballsporthalle in Frankfurt remains an inspiring example of how BEMO perfectly combines innovation and architectural visions.
