Deutsche Bank Park

A large football stadium with a retractable membrane roof

A number of soccer stadiums underwent extensive refurbishment works prior to the 2006 World Championship in Germany – including the Waldstadion in Frankfurt (renamed “Deutsche Bank Park” in July 2020). The stadium was renovated gradually during the German Bundesliga season. The end result was more or less a completely new venue. One of the final stages of the construction project was the installation of a new retractable roof.

The entire roof spans over an area of 37,500 m², whereof 9,000 m2 are covering the playing field. Exactly for this area the roof is retractable.

ECCON was responsible for designing and providing the complete drive system and mechanization. The roof is based on a steel cable construction with a cable drive system. The flexible membrane is attached to carriages which are moved by the cable drive system and winches along the tensioned steel cables. The entire roof can be opened or closed within 15 to 20 minutes. When the roof is open, the folded membrane is stored behind the giant TV screens in the center of the stadium.

The Construction of the new Deutsche Bank Park and its roof marked a milestone in architecture and engineering. In fact, the architects of the project were awarded with an IABSE Outstanding Structure Award. The retractable roof is one of the stadium’s most prominent features – and one of the first constructed on this dimension.

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