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Valhalla Worlds Largest Portable Structure

Project  Valhalla  

Client  Gearhouse Structures PLC  Location  various  Year  1998

Link to Valhalla Ryerson University Paper (opens in a new tab)   Link to Tensile 1 page (Valhalla trade name)   Link to Kayam, Valhalla and MegaDome Comparison   Link to Valhalla Victorias Secret (Worlds largest Fashion Show)   Link to Valhalla Global Gathering Festival

Rudi Enos designed the Valhalla as the largest of his 1990's portable membrane structures. Named after the Norse fables, hall of the gods, it was intended to be the largest portable structure ever built that is available for hire. At 12,600 square metres it remains so today, closely followed by the Kayam Concert tent with an area of 10,490 square metres and MT66 Megadome at 8,800 square metres. By any standards these are the largest portable structures ever used for major events. All sizes quoted are for the perimeter of the roof profile as seen in plan.

The Valhalla portable membrane structure is simply staggering. This structure uses unique methods of design, manufacture and installation to achieve the project aims of providing the first large scale portable structure to house the same events as a permanent arena. The structure was used for the first time on new years eve 1999 to herald the new millennium.

It became the largest indoor celebration in the UK for the new millennium by accommodating 28,000 people inside the structure together with staging, light and sound equipment which cost £400,000 to hire for the night. Production costs for the single night ran into the millions. 90% of the effects were suspended from the structure with a total flown load of 40 tonnes.

Valhalla, (named Tensile1 by the operating companies) was awarded the Guinness Book of Records 'World's Largest Portable Venue' in 2000.

Since then, it has housed 'Victoria's Secrets' fashion show in New York, n used by Roskilde Festival, Global Gathering, The MTV Europe Awards in Rome 2004 and for the 'Moonwalk' Breast Cancer charity in Hyde Park. It is also used for many European festivals and events.

In Norse mythology, Valhalla was the legendary banqueting hall of Odin, principal god of the Vikings, which played host to the Einherjar, the souls of warriors who had died a courageous death in battle. The largest building in Asgard, heavenly home of the gods, Valhalla constituted one of it's 12 realms, its cavernous interior playing host to Viking heroes awaiting Ragnarok, final battle of the world. Its 540 doors, each wide enough to allow 800 warriors to enter abreast, waiting to receive the souls of the brave. This legendary building was to provide rich inspiration for the very real Valhalla project.

Conceived and designed to provide the same sense of wonder to all who enter for the first time, as that original building of Asgard, the proportions of the Valhalla structure do not shame the legend. It is 86 metres wide, 160 metres long and 25 metres high. (106 metres by 180 metres to the main anchors). The Valhalla membrane structure as conceived is, simply put, the largest practical mobile membrane structure ever built, that also has the ability to be moved quickly.

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Valhalla Sizes E&OE

Net internal sizes, surface area and footprint larger.

Layout Size-metres Size-feet Square metres Square feet Hectares Acres Football pitches
1 pole 45 x 45 148 x 148 1,632 17,567 0.16 0.40 0.3
2 pole 45 x 75 148 x 246 2,982 32,098 0.30 0.74 0.6
3 pole 45 x 105 148 x 344 4,332 46,629 0.43 1.07 0.8
4 pole 75 x 60 246 x 197 4,107 44,207 0.41 1.01 0.8
6 pole 75 x 75 246 x 246 5,232 56,317 0.52 1.29 1.0
8 pole 75 x 90 246 x 295 6,357 68,426 0.64 1.57 1.2
10 pole 75 x 105 246 x 344 7,482 80,536 0.75 1.85 1.4
12 pole 75 x 120 246 x 394 8,607 92,645 0.86 2.13 1.6
14 pole 75 x 135 246 x 443 9,732 104,754 0.97 2.40 1.8
16 pole 75 x 150 246 x 492 10,857 116,864 1.09 2.68 2.0
8 + 6 + 6 225 x 90 738 x 295 16,821 181,060 1.68 4.16 3.1
Footprint floor area
Layout Size-metres Size-feet Square metres Square feet Hectares Acres Football pitches
1 pole 55 x 55 180 x 180 2,244 24,154 0.22 0.55 0.4
2 pole 55 x 85 180 x 279 3,844 41,376 0.38 0.95 0.7
3 pole 55 x 115 180 x 377 5,444 58,599 0.54 1.35 1.0
4 pole 85 x 70 279 x 230 5,104 54,939 0.51 1.26 1.0
6 pole 85 x 85 279 x 279 6,364 68,502 0.64 1.57 1.2
8 pole 85 x 100 279 x 328 7,624 82,064 0.76 1.88 1.4
10 pole 85 x 115 279 x 377 8,884 95,627 0.89 2.20 1.7
12 pole 85 x 130 279 x 427 10,144 109,189 1.01 2.51 1.9
14 pole 85 x 145 279 x 476 11,404 122,752 1.14 2.82 2.1
16 pole 85 x 160 279 x 525 12,664 136,314 1.27 3.13 2.4
8 + 6 + 6 235 x 100 771 x 328 20,352 219,067 2.04 5.03 3.8
Surface area
Layout Size-metres Size-feet Square metres Square feet Hectares Acres Football pitches
1 pole 55 x 55 180 x 180 2,608 28,072 0.26 0.64 0.5
2 pole 55 x 85 180 x 279 4,468 48,093 0.45 1.10 0.8
3 pole 55 x 115 180 x 377 6,328 68,114 0.63 1.56 1.2
4 pole 85 x 70 279 x 230 5,904 63,550 0.59 1.46 1.1
6 pole 85 x 85 279 x 279 7,340 79,007 0.73 1.81 1.4
8 pole 85 x 100 279 x 328 8,776 94,464 0.88 2.17 1.6
10 pole 85 x 115 279 x 377 10,212 109,921 1.02 2.52 1.9
12 pole 85 x 130 279 x 427 11,648 125,378 1.16 2.88 2.2
14 pole 85 x 145 279 x 476 13,084 140,835 1.31 3.23 2.4
16 pole 85 x 160 279 x 525 14,520 156,292 1.45 3.59 2.7
8 + 6 + 6 235 x 100 771 x 328 23,456 252,478 2.35 5.80 4.4
Volume
Layout Size-metres Size-feet Cubic metres Cubic feet Olympic pools
1 pole 55 x 55 180 x 180 21,516 759,830 11.38
2 pole 55 x 85 180 x 279 40,692 1,437,024 21.53
3 pole 55 x 115 180 x 377 59,868 2,114,218 31.68
4 pole 85 x 70 279 x 230 58,572 2,068,451 30.99
6 pole 85 x 85 279 x 279 76,452 2,699,877 40.45
8 pole 85 x 100 279 x 328 94,332 3,331,303 49.91
10 pole 85 x 115 279 x 377 112,212 3,962,729 59.37
12 pole 85 x 130 279 x 427 130,092 4,594,156 68.83
14 pole 85 x 145 279 x 476 147,972 5,225,582 78.29
16 pole 85 x 160 279 x 525 165,852 5,857,008 87.75
8 + 6 + 6 235 x 100 771 x 328 247,236 8,731,057 130.81