The city’s outdoor athletics and football fields are unusable for five months each year due to heavy snow and sub‑zero temperatures. Local sports clubs – including basketball, badminton, and futsal teams – have long requested an indoor training facility, but a conventional steel‑frame building would take 12–18 months to construct and exceed the available budget.
The Sports Bureau needed a temporary but durable indoor space of approximately 1,500 m² that could be:
- Operational within 8 weeks (before the first snowfall)
- Column‑free to accommodate multiple full‑size courts simultaneously
- Energy‑efficient for winter heating
- Relocatable in case the park was redeveloped in the future
- Weather‑resistant against heavy snow loads and strong winds
| Challenge | Implication |
|---|---|
| Short construction window | Only 6–8 weeks available before winter |
| High snow load | Local snow load requirement: 0.75 kN/m² (above standard) |
| Low temperatures | Operating down to ‑25°C; need condensation control and heating |
| Multi‑use layout | Need space for 3 badminton courts + 1 basketball half‑court + spectator area |
| Future relocation | Building may need to be moved after 3 years; permanent foundation not feasible |
The Sports Bureau selected the 30m × 50m Air‑Supported Membrane Building with the following customisations:
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Size | 30m wide × 50m long (1,500 m²) |
| Centre height | 10 m – enough for badminton and basketball clears |
| Side clearance | 5.0 m |
| Membrane | Double‑layer PVC‑coated polyester with thermal insulation liner |
| Snow load design | 0.75 kN/m² (engineered for local conditions) |
| Wind resistance | Designed for 30 m/s gusts |
| Internal pressure | 250 Pa normal, boosted to 350 Pa in snow mode |
| Fan system | 2 × redundant variable‑frequency fans + diesel backup generator |
| Heating | Integrated ducted air‑heating system connected via pre‑installed HVAC interfaces |
| Hanging points | Grid at 4 m spacing, 30 kg capacity each – for LED sports lighting and scoreboards |
| Entrance | Double‑door air‑lock system with a 4.8m wide main door for equipment access |
| Fire rating | EN 13501‑1 B‑s1,d0 |
The building was delivered in 5 modules (each 10m long) from the factory, along with the fan units, anchoring rails, and all door sets. On‑site installation required only a prepared concrete strip foundation (pre‑cast kerbs with clamping grooves) – no heavy piling or steel columns.
- Week 1–2: Foundation preparation and anchoring rail installation.
- Week 3: Membrane modules delivered and unrolled; seams welded on‑site.
- Week 4: Fan units, control system, and HVAC connections installed.
- Week 5: Inflation and pressure testing; interior lighting and court markings installed.
- Week 6: Final inspection and handover – fully operational in 6 weeks, beating the snowfall by 10 days.
The double‑layer membrane with insulation kept the internal temperature at a stable +16°C even when outside temperatures dropped to ‑22°C, with heating costs 30% lower than a conventional tent structure.
| Metric | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Construction time | 6 weeks (vs. 14+ months for steel building) |
| Total cost | 55% less than a permanent structure |
| Space utilisation | 1,500 m² column‑free – accommodated 3 badminton courts + 1 basketball half‑court + bleachers for 150 spectators |
| Winter performance | Withstood 3 heavy snowfalls (>40 cm) with no structural issues; snow slid off naturally due to membrane tension |
| Condensation control | Double‑layer membrane + fresh air system eliminated dripping, even during high‑intensity training |
| User satisfaction | 95% of athletes rated lighting and comfort as “excellent” |
| Energy consumption | Heating and fan energy within budget – no unexpected costs |
- Rapid Community Impact – The centre opened just in time for winter leagues, allowing 12 local teams to train indoors for the first time. Participation in winter sports increased by 40% that season.
- Financial Viability – The low initial investment and affordable operating costs made the project feasible without central government subsidies. The building is expected to pay for itself within 3 years through rental fees.
- Future‑Proof Flexibility – The modular design means the building can be dismantled, moved to another site, or expanded to 60m length by adding two more modules if demand grows.
- Reliability in Extreme Weather – The redundant fan system and backup generator ensured continuous operation even during a 3‑hour power outage caused by a storm – the building never deflated.