Millennium Dome construction
Greenwich, London, UK · 1997-1999
The judgement call
Account-gated at launchPioneering use of tensioned fabric architecture for a major public building. - Demonstrated rapid construction capabilities for large-span structures. - Generated significant public and political debate regarding cost and legacy.
Key engineering challenges
Designing and constructing a vast tensioned fabric structure with a 400m diameter. - Supporting the large canopy with 12 external 100m high steel masts and a complex cable net. - Managing the logistics and rapid construction of a structure of this scale. - Ensuring durability and weather resistance of the Teflon-coated glass-fibre fabric canopy.
Project facts
- Client / owner
- New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC)
- Lead contractor
- McAlpine/Laing Joint Venture (MLJV)
- Lead designers
- Richard Rogers Partnership (architect); Buro Happold (structural engineer)
- Project type
- new build
- Scale
- 12 x 100m high steel masts; 70km of steel cables; 400m diameter; 80,000 m² enclosed area; fifth largest building in the world by usable volume when opened.
- Disciplines
- Structural engineering; architecture; civil engineering; project management
- Standards & frameworks
- UK building standards of the period.
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Dome; https://www.ice.org.uk/what-is-civil-engineering/infrastructure-projects/millennium-dome; https://www.burohappold.com/projects/millennium-dome/; https://rshp.com/projects/culture-and-leisure/the-millennium-dome/; https://collections.londonmet.ac.uk/books/c1e56497-546e-486f-a44a-c84f414e55ec; https://www.scribd.com/document/395051901/4-Design-and-Construction-of-the-Millennium-Dome-UK; https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2749/101686699780482023