Vector Arena. Auckland'S Waterfront Jewel

There is no getting away from it, Auckland gets more than its fair share of rain. Surprising enough however, up until now Auckland City hasn't had a covered arena to encourage fans off the sofa, and bands and sports teams into the heart of the city. Positioned about as close to the Waitemata Harbour as you could possibly manage without taking a dip, the recently opened Vector Arena has changed all that. Keeping the punters warm and dry is a priority, and to do so Peddle Thorpe Architects specified a Dimond roof, which was installed with considerable skill by Clarke Roofing. “Having been involved in almost all stadium or events centre projects in New Zealand, including Telstra Clear Pacific Events Centre, Jade Stadium and Waikato Stadium, Dimond had the required depth of experience to successfully complete this project,”says Dimond's Scott Townsend. “In this case, the main roof consists of two elliptical, tilted planes. The challenges, which were all successfully overcome, resulted from the arena's height, the roof's angle and the length of the sheets to be installed.” The roof features Dimondek 630 concealed fixed roofing in Colorcote® ZRX™ - the only product in New Zealand that met the architect's specific requirements. With sheets up to 47.5m, it was necessary to manufacture the sheets using the Dimondek 630 onsite manufacturing unit. The absence of any steps or joins in the continuous sheet lengths greatly increases the roof's weather-tightness and protection against corrosion. The concealed fixing system used with Dimondek 630 also ensures no fixings pierce the roof eliminating a common source of leaks from incorrectly installed screws. Whilst perfect for patrons, the Vector Arena's harbour side, inner city location required durable roofing and cladding materials that would perform in the salt laden environment. Dimond recommended a material and paint coating system called Colorcote® ZRX™ which is specifically designed for severe marine environments where there is a high risk of corrosion due to corrosive elements in the atmosphere. Other Dimond profiles, such as Brownbuilt 900, Corrugate and V-Rib were used as wall cladding materials at the ends of the structure and under the eaves. They utilised the Colorcote® ZRX™ system as well as Colorcote® ARX™ which features aluminium as it’s base material and is ideal for use in severe environments on areas of cladding that aren’t regularly washed by rainfall or difficult to access for maintenance. The ever increasing line-up of international acts wanting to perform at the Vector Arena is a testimony to its success, quality and value as an entertainment venue. The arena has provided another jewel in Auckland's waterfront crown and the roofing and cladding materials used in its construction will ensure it remains just that for years to come.