Freedom Mobile Arch (Formerly PNE Amphitheatre)
Built to LEED Gold standards and featuring one of the world’s longest span mass timber arch roofs, the Freedom Mobile Arch (formerly the Pacific National Exhibition Amphitheatre) meets a high standard in sustainability, strength and large-scale entertainment.
This 10,000-seat, outdoor venue is in the heart of Vancouver’s Hastings Park and designed as a world-class location with exceptional acoustics for concerts, festivals, and cultural events. It is also the official FIFA Fan Festival™ Vancouver host venue — welcoming fans for live match broadcasts, entertainment, cultural programming, and community events throughout the tournament.
Get more information about the FIFA Fan Festival.
- Approximately 800 tons of steel
- Approximately 900 tons of timber arches
- 345 ft Clear Span Buttress Tip to Tip (105 metres)
- Walters installed 180 arch segments, creating a total of 60 complete timber arches.
- Each king arch steel member: (~210 long)
- Each Keystone Steel member: (~115 long)
Walters Group supplied and installed the structural steel, as well as installed the timber arches for the Freedom Mobile Arch. Our scope also included installing approximately 6,000 sq. ft. of metal deck in the stage area.
Originally, the roof node featured a central circular bar, which wasn’t feasible from a constructability standpoint. During the design-assist phase, Walters worked closely with Fast + Epp to optimize the design, transitioning to a square plate that improves efficiency and is better suited for welding and installation.
In addition to this, optimizations were made to account for the structure’s location in a high-seismic region.
Shear transfer plates were placed at the base of the arches to resist and transfer shear forces. Walters Detailing team was able to optimize the design of these shear transfer plates by developing an innovative shear lug solution that allowed the steel fins at the connections to act independently at each arch, simplifying both fabrication and installation while maintaining structural performance.
Download the Freedom Mobile Arch Case Study
The Freedom Mobile Arch is a sight to experience. With its striking architecture, picturesque views, and incredible acoustics, it’s designed to create memorable moments for audiences from around the world.
Discover how Walters Group collaborated with project partners to deliver the precision and technical complexity behind this iconic mass-timber project.
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