Ferrari World roof material selection

Extreme conditions plague the unusual triform shaped roof of the Ferrari World theme park on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The ‘Rosso Corse’ coloured roof material, resembling a red Ferrari, had to maintain its colour while enduring UV exposure, pollution, salt from sea air and little rain to clean the surface, as well as being lightweight.

Our façade engineers participated in research to select a corrugated aluminium sheet, known as Kalzip, coated with PVDF, as the preferred roof material. Costly and weighty ceramics and membranes were rejected. The chosen material is durable, lightweight and can be roll-formed and cut on site to follow the double curvature of the roof. Rolled edge joints allow the roof to breathe yet remain watertight. Despite there being no requirements in the Emirates, the ‘Rosso Corse’ colour was achieved without the use of lead or metals, which complies with EU standards.

High temperatures outside combined with air-conditioning inside raised concerns over the effect of condensation on the roof fixtures. Thermal analysis and workshops were conducted to determine suitable components to construct the roof.