Barrel Roof Envelope Cladding Installed on Everton Stadium

INSTALLATION of the barrel clad roof is now underway on the new Everton Stadium under construction at Bramley-Moore Dock in Liverpool.

Contractor Laing’O’Rourke says after three years of “meticulous planning” and following structural completion, the first aluminium cladding panels have been fitted. These wrap around the building envelope, encompassing the structural steelwork that bridges the first storey perimeter walkway and sweeps up to support the roof.

The fixing of the panels gives the first glimpse of how the stadium will look when complete, transforming the Liverpool waterfront skyline.

Everton football club plans to move in and kick off ready for the 2025/26 season at the 52,888-seat arena. Its final game at Goodison Park at the end of the 2024/25 season will be an emotional goodbye to the club’s first home.

For those working on the project, the cladding panels that wrap around the curved steel skeleton perfectly deliver the original design concept.

Mike Young, Principal Facade Engineer at Laing O’Rourke, said: “I have been on this project now for three-and-a-half years.

“It’s a long time in the making and the cladding is the last significant bit of the envelope that we have to complete, so it’s great to see it finally becoming a reality.”

William Morrison, Associate Operations Director with Lindner Prater, who are subcontracted to provide the roofing cladding, added: “For me, it’s absolution elation.

“This is three years in the planning and design – and to see us turning the architect’s vision into reality, even though there’s still some work to go, is absolutely magnificent.”

Challenges

Installing the 872 panels – 436 on the east and west stands – is a complex and lengthy process, with the barrel shape and malleable panels presenting several novel challenges to the installation team.

Each panel, weighing 250kg, needs to be lifted carefully into position and angled in mid-air to be bolted onto the stadium steelwork.

This is achieved using a specially-designed robotic arm, which can be manoeuvred into any position by the crane operator.

Lindner Prater brings extensive experience to the challenge having previously worked on Twickenham Stadium, The Emirates and The London Stadium. William Morrison explained: “We had to have a bespoke solution because these panels have been specifically designed for the project.

“There is nothing off the shelf, and there are strict regulations in terms of lifting materials at height.

“So that, coupled with Laing O’Rourke’s engineered safety policy, made us come up with a solution where we mechanically secure the panels into place using a manipulator arm, which can physically turn to any angle we require, to secure the panels.”

The perforated design of the panels provides was devised to allow more light to penetrate the enclosed stadium envelope. It also has the effect of opening out the the underlying architectural steelwork displaying the framework for the cladding.

Project on Target

Despite having to work around the erratic weather of the exposed waterfront site, which restricts the wind speeds the lifting of the panels can be done in, the project installers say they are on target. Cladding will now begin on the west stand, with the overall aim of delivering the completed stadium roof by the summer.

“It is quite a long timeline, but you have to consider the height of the building, the type of equipment and the sheer nature of the panel design,” said William.

“At the early planning stage, we could only use a little experience as to how long that might take, and we have to take into consideration the vagaries of the weather. We are restricted to certain wind speeds in which we can lift the panels into the air.

“However, with the efficiencies that we have improved upon as we’ve gotten to know the project a little more, we are on target to finish by the original planned date of July – and I think that will be a hell of an achievement.”

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