Arenas and Ice Rinks

Monolithic Domes are a paradigm shift in modern arenas. They are much more affordable to buy and operate. The modern Monolithic Dome Arena is multifunctional. It can be used for basketball, indoor soccer, arena football, volleyball tournaments, conventions, roller hockey, concerts, and ice hockey.

There are many communities, colleges, universities, professional teams, and other organizations that can now afford a covered, permanent arena. It adds diversity and year-round use for any venue.

The initial cost of a Monolithic Dome Arena is substantially less than a conventional arena. This is possible because of straight forward design and simple construction.

Construction Process

The key to the Monolithic Dome Arena is the Airform. Prefabricated to any size using single-ply roofing material, the Airform is attached to a concrete ring foundation and inflated with air. Once under full air-pressure, the dome will appear complete from the outside, but the work continues inside.

Spray-in-place urethane foam, the world's best insulation, is applied directly to the interior surface of the fabric form. After several inches of foam are in place, a pre-engineered grid-work of steel rebar is attached.

Shotcrete, a high-density concrete, is sprayed over the interior. It will embed the steel rebar with several inches of concrete.

The finished structure is extremely strong, energy efficient, and permanent.

Advantages

After twenty years of Monolithic Dome construction and analysis, there are many proven advantages of this process. Most of the work is done inside, protected from the weather. The dome is so strong, many tons of interior structure may be supported directly from it.

Energy use is reduced by over 50 percent. This saves money in construction since less heating and cooling equipment is needed, and it saves millions in operating costs over the life of the structure.

The Monolithic Dome meets the most stringent building codes. Its fire rating is so good that a sprinkler system may not be needed (however, some local codes still require it).

Arenas

Inside a Monolithic Dome arena will be locker rooms, conference rooms, skyboxes (that may be suspended from the dome right over the playing field), retail shops, restaurants, concessions, and more.

Thousands of spectators may attend a variety of games and events. However, it may be ice sports that benefit most from the Monolithic Dome technology.

Ice Rinks

Ice hockey is a special problem for many arenas. Hockey is in the midst of huge growth throughout the United States and there is great demand for ice rinks.

Unlike most field sports, ice sports require a controlled environment, year round, for practice and performance.

The problem that many multipurpose arenas face is the conflict between the other venues at the arena and the need to practice on the ice. It is impossible, for example, to practice on the ice rink when it is covered for a major basketball championship. Some events may cover the ice for weeks.

Caterpillar Practice Rinks

The best solution is to build practice rinks inside a Monolithic Dome caterpillar. Built like a true "dome," these caterpillars also start as a single Airform.

When inflated, a long multi-dome series is shaped. The foam and concrete is applied and the finished caterpillar is as strong and energy efficient as a standard dome.

The caterpillar's long, narrow shape easily fits a practice rink. Yet its low profile wastes little space. The caterpillar is widest in the center of the rink allowing a players area and a few seats.

A community can afford to build as many rinks as they want. Each would be isolated from the other in its own caterpillar.

The Monolithic Dome caterpillar is virtually sound proof. There would be absolutely no interference between rinks. If a whistle is blown on one rink it cannot affect the play on another. This is a major problem in multi-rink facilities in one building.

The Core Building

Tying it all together would be a medium size dome located between all the buildings. This center "core" could be simple or very elaborate. It would obviously contain dressing rooms. It could also host a pro shop, referee rooms, offices, restaurants, snack bar, rental shops, and more.

A deluxe core could have an upper deck. Visitors will be able to walk from the upper deck to optional viewing areas suspended over the hockey rinks.

It could also provide easy access to the skyboxes in a neighboring Monolithic Dome Arena.

By keeping the hockey rinks cold and the core building warm, the best use of the energy equipment is obtained. In winter the excess heat from the ice compressor can be utilized to heat the center core.

Staged Buildings

A complete hockey facility can be built in stages. Stage one is the first practice rink built with temporary dressing rooms. Next a core building and a second rink. Later, a third and fourth rink can be added. In some instances an arena can be added. Or a practice rink can be added to an existing arena.

Conclusion

The Monolithic Dome is the ideal choice for a column free arena and practice facilities. It combines a superior building with an affordable design. Many problems with current sports facilities are often eliminated. And energy savings can pay for the whole facility during its lifetime.

177 Dome Park Place - Italy, TX 76651
Tel (972)483-7423 - Fax (972)483-6662