The deal is part of a multi-million pound project by the AELTC to redevelop No.1 Court, which will increase its seating capacity and transform it into a grass court arena capable of guaranteed play in all weather conditions.
Simon Eastwood, SCX Group managing director said: “We are very proud to have built the original retractable roof on Centre Court, so to be chosen by the AELTC to work on No.1 Court is a real honour. SCX is now one of the leading builders of kinetic architecture in the UK and this contract has taken our order book to record levels.”
When fully completed in 2019 the new retractable roof, like the existing one built by SCX for Centre Court, will allow guaranteed play irrespective of the weather.
Around 220 electro-mechanical devices (including motors) along with a control system capable of working to accuracies of a fraction of a millimetre are needed to ensure the roof operates smoothly and quietly.
Andy Whitworth, SCX special projects director, said: “SCX prides itself on its expertise in the field of precision engineering. We have an amazing team of designers, engineers and suppliers and everyone is excited about working on such a prestigious project.”
The roof is based on a concertina design with two main sections that meet in the middle. It will be made of transparent Gore Tenara (a type of Gore-Tex fabric), which is stretched between the steel trusses. The roof will cover an area of about 5,500m², is made up of 11 trusses and weighs around 1,100t. It can be deployed or retracted in around eight minutes.
SCX www.scx.co.uk
