Round façade of the No. 1 Cpurt Wimbledon in wood look, with large windows, green roof and lots of plants such as small trees

retractable ptfe membrane roof

stadium roof and general renovation of no.1 court at wimbledon

The highlight of the refurbishment of No.1 Court is the 6,000 sqm retractable roof made from an exclusive PTFE membrane consisting of Teflon fibres, renowned for their transparency and durability. Since the roof can be deployed in multiple stages from open to fully closed, the structural calculations take into account various roof positions and load scenarios. The roof can be closed in just eight minutes, thereby eliminating weather-related game interruptions.
 

ptfe membrane for light transmission, durability and performance

The PTFE membranes are suspended between eleven steel arches and pre-tensioned to 33 t to ensure a wrinkle-free surface in every position. PTFE is ideal for this project as it is translucent, allowing sufficient light onto the court even when the roof is closed. Due to the extreme durability and weather resistance of PTFE, the roof remains functional under adverse weather conditions and requires minimal maintenance. PTFE is also very flexible, making it the ideal material for a movable roof.

Façade type
Membrane structure
Client
The All England Lawn Tennis Club
Contractor
Sir Robert McAlpine
Engineer
Tony Hogg Design / Thornton Tomasetti
Architect
KSS Group
Awards

BCSA Structural Steel Design Award 2019

Exterior view of No. 1 Court Wimbledon with a balcony with wooden panelling, a window front and a balustrade made of individual posts
Two storeys of No. 1 Court Wimbledon with round cantilevers clad in wood-look panelling on the underside, a straight glass window front and trees
Ranks with green, round plastic seats in the No. 1 Court Wimbledon sports stadium under a cach with a white steel frame covered with a PTFE membrane
White steel beams with a substructure of triangles supporting a tarpaulin made of PTFE membranes, which act as a foldable roof of the No. 1 Court Wimbledon sports stadium

ptfe, glass and other materials

As part of the complete renovation of No.1 Court at Wimbledon, seele was responsible not only for the roof structure with its PTFE membranes, but also for other vertical façades. For the building envelope, glass, wood-plastic composite (WPC) materials, aluminium and HPL panels were used. For the existing building, seele used glass façades and “Wimbledon Green” HPL panels, while the façade of the annexe consists of 1,200 sqm of WPC cladding. In addition, seele installed 350 sqm of glass balustrades and 15 sliding doors in the suites area. 

time pressure

The greatest challenge was the tight schedule, as work had to be interrupted multiple times due to the tournaments. However, by pre-assembling components, seele was able to complete the installation efficiently and on time.

#madebyseele

Design, construction and installation of the retractable PTFE membrane roof — remodelling of the existing façade — glass balustrades and sliding doors for 15 suites in the annexe building

6,000 sqm
retractable ptfe membrane roof
8,350 sqm
façades of different materials
1,200 sqm
timber-imitation façade
350 sqm
glass balustrades
further projects
The Canary Wharf Crossrail Station with a curved timber structure and triangular ETFE membrane

canary wharf crossrail station

london, uk
Illuminated double-skin façade made of round glas tubes and other façade types of the K11 Musea in Hong Kong at dusk

k11 musea

hong kong