Dunedin Stadium Project

On paper, the brief was ambitious: a brand-new stadium, built from the ground up. New Zealand’s largest indoor arena and the second largest in the Southern Hemisphere. But the true highlight of Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium would be its revolutionary roof—the first completely enclosed stadium in the world to grow real turf, thanks to an innovative transparent roofing system designed by Vector Foiltec.

Who would have thought a stadium roof could be constructed using air-filled plastic cushions? Yet, that’s exactly what we did.

Forsyth Barr Stadium features the world's first permanent roof over a natural playing surface, using cushions of ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) inflated with low-pressure air. ETFE is a transparent, lightweight thermoplastic polymer (weighing just 1-2% of glass) known for its resilience, self-cleaning properties, and ability to transmit around 95% of sunlight’s UV rays—allowing grass to thrive beneath it. The roof structure is also strategically angled to the north to optimize sunlight exposure during Southern Hemisphere winters.

• Pinnacle Height Safety Pty Ltd was contracted by Vector Foiltec to install the stadium’s Texlon® ETFE roof.
• Total ETFE roof area: 20,558m², comprised of air-inflated pillows measuring 20m long by 5m wide.
• The main roof reaches a maximum external height of 47 meters—equivalent to a 12-story building.
• We deployed an experienced team of eight Rope Access Technicians in July 2010, with a planned 12-month project timeline.
• Our team successfully navigated a wide range of climatic conditions and technical challenges throughout the project.
• The job was completed on schedule, with every agreed deadline met.
• Both the client and Vector Foiltec were highly impressed by our multi-skilled team’s expertise and efficiency.