The Hydro roof raised
Published by Anne Marie Hughes on Sat 09 Jun 12 @ 22:16
The massive central roof section of The Hydro - the 12,000-capacity entertainment arena being built in Glasgow - was today (Fri May 4) lifted into place.
This operation is a key move in the construction by Lend Lease of this iconic building on the banks of the Clyde, adjacent to the SECC.
The fixing in place of the 48-metre diameter central section is the culmination of a painstaking five-day operation.
Over that period, the giant steel central section, weighing 330 tonnes, slowly crawled up the height of a 48-metre high temporary tower via eight hydraulic jacks stationed at the top of the tower with steel cables connected to lifting eyes.
The jacks, each with a lifting capacity of 80 tonnes, were able to elevate at a maximum rate of five metres per hour, interspersed by the tilting and positioning of the assembly and the use of raking shore supports to maintain the angle of approach to the summit.
Today it reached the top and was fixed in place.
Gordon Anderson, executive general manager of Lend Lease, said: "This is the most complex feat of engineering in Scotland this year, and is a major step forward in The Hydro's construction process.
"The next step involves the positioning of 16 roof segments between the perimeter of the building and the central section. These 36-metre long segments have been assembled in the SECC car park over recent weeks and are now ready to be put in place.
"Once they are in place, the temporary tower can be removed and the roof will then support its own weight."
John Sharkey, SECC chief executive, said: "We are delighted to have reached this milestone in the construction of The Hydro. It has been a complex procedure and represents a great achievement by Lend Lease and the project team and we congratulate them. We look forward to watching The Hydro as it evolves into Scotland's home of live entertainment and the perfect place for future audiences to also enjoy raising the roof!"
Jonny Petrie, sponsorship manager with the venue title sponsor, Scottish Hydro, added: "We're very excited to be part of this ambitious project. Scottish Hydro customers and those registered at www.thehydro.com will be the first to hear about news and special offers for the venue, and seeing the roof taking shape means The Hydro is another step closer to playing host to some of the best live entertainment acts and sporting events in the world."
The Hydro, which is designed by Foster + Partners and will open in September 2013, is a purpose-build, 12,000-capacity entertainment arena which will play host to around 140 events each year, and has the potential to inject an additional £131 million into the local economy. It will add to the SECC's events portfolio, and be in the top five busiest indoor entertainment arenas in the world, alongside such venues as Madison Square Garden in New York and The O2 in London.
