海角视频

Beneath the vast steel roof at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a natural grass pitch – grown, installed and meticulously maintained for the World Cup – sets the stage. Then the building begins to move. High above, eight triangular steel petals slide apart in perfect sequence. The roof opens to the sky, light floods the bowl and the atmosphere shifts instantly.

What appears to rotate like the lens of a camera is, in fact, a carefully orchestrated system of panels moving along straight tracks, creating a mechanical illusion that defines the stadium鈥檚 identity. In that moment, the stadium becomes something else entirely. Not just a venue, but a piece of kinetic infrastructure, designed to respond to the event, the climate and the city around it. The boundary between inside and outside dissolves, and Atlanta itself becomes part of the experience.

That transformation captures the ambition behind the project. Mercedes-Benz Stadium was never intended to follow precedent. It was designed to rethink how a stadium performs, how it is experienced and how it operates at a global scale.

海角视频 partnered with HOK to help deliver that ambition, leading structural engineering, facade engineering, lighting and sustainability across a project defined by complexity and integration. The result is a nearly 2 million ft2 venue that has become a benchmark for both performance and experience, and the first LEED Platinum professional sports stadium in the United States.

As Atlanta hosts a total of eight FIFA World Cup matches, the stadium stands as a clear example of what happens when engineering is embedded in the design vision from day one.

A roof that changes the conversation

At the center of the project is a retractable roof that challenged conventional stadium design.

Inspired by the oculus of the Pantheon, the roof is composed of eight steel petals that open and close like a camera aperture. When activated, the petals appear to rotate, but in reality they move along linear tracks, a deliberate decision that simplified the mechanics while preserving the architectural effect.

Each petal cantilevers approximately 200 feet into the stadium bowl, introducing both downward and uplift forces into a network of primary trusses that span more than 700 feet. Bringing this system into alignment required a precise balance between geometry, force and movement.

The roof can fully open in roughly eight minutes, transforming the stadium environment in real time. Lightweight ETFE cushions clad the structure, reducing load while allowing natural daylight to filter into the space below.

The Roof at a Glance

• 8 operable steel petals
• Opens in approximately 8 minutes
• Cantilevers of up to ~200 feet
• ETFE cladding reduces structural weight and brings daylight into the bowl

Engineering the experience

From the outset, the project team aligned around a simple idea: every major design move should improve the fan experience.

That principle is most visible in the integration of the 360-degree halo video board. Measuring more than 1,000 feet in circumference and rising several stories in height, it is built directly into the roof structure, creating a continuous viewing experience from all areas of the seating bowl.

Rather than competing with the architecture, the halo board reinforces it. Its position preserves views through the roof opening while providing a shared focal point for spectators.

The facade extends that thinking. A 16-story ETFE 鈥渨indow to the city鈥� opens the building to downtown Atlanta, connecting interior and exterior while flooding the concourses with natural light. The use of ETFE also reduces structural weight, allowing for a more efficient supporting system.

By the Numbers

• Nearly 2 million ft2
• ~71,000 seats, expandable for major events
• 1,075 ft halo board circumference
• ~62,000 ft2 of LED display

Raising the bar on sustainability

Delivering LEED Platinum at this scale required a fundamentally different approach.

Sustainability was embedded from the earliest stages of design, influencing how materials were selected, how systems were configured and how the building would ultimately operate. The stadium uses significantly less water than baseline standards and incorporates strategies ranging from rainwater management to on-site renewable energy generation.

Material efficiency played a key role. Lightweight systems such as ETFE reduced structural demands, while advanced digital modeling enabled teams to coordinate across disciplines and resolve issues before construction. This approach minimized waste and improved delivery accuracy.

The result is a stadium that demonstrates how high-performance venues can align environmental responsibility with architectural ambition.

Sustainability Highlights

• Designed for long-term operational efficiency and reduced environmental impact
• First LEED Platinum professional sports stadium in the U.S.
• 47% reduction in water use compared to baseline
• Integrated renewable energy and water management systems

A stadium built for the global stage

Mercedes-Benz Stadium was designed to perform at the highest level, both technically and experientially. With the FIFA World Cup underway, it is now set to operate at a truly global scale.

The project reflects a broader shift in how major venues are conceived and delivered. Engineering is no longer a background discipline. It shapes the architecture, defines the experience and underpins long-term performance.

For 海角视频, the stadium represents what is possible when disciplines are fully integrated and aligned around a single vision. It is not just an iconic building, but a model for how future stadiums can be designed, delivered and experienced.