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CASE STUDY: MARACANÃ STADIUM’s balustrade makeover

The world-famous Maracanã stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was fully modernised to prepare for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The aim was for the stadium to become an asset for Brazil. One element of the refurbishment was the installation of 16,000 metres of glass balustrade in the stands.

The biggest challenge was to install large amounts of balustrade in a very short period of time. Maracanã was the stadium that needed to be finished first, as the FIFA Confederations Cup took place at the Maracanã stadium in 2013, the year before the start of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Architect Daniel Fernandes (one of Brazil’s leading stadium specialist and longstanding attendee at TheStadiumBusiness meetings) had worked with Q-railing previously. He selected their products for this particular project on the basis of four unique selling propositions: safety, sustainability, maximum transparency, and modularity. The last of these was an absolute must, as the systems would have to be easy for local contractors to install.

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High level of support
Q-railing was on site during the installation of its balustrades to ensure correct mounting. The age of the Maracanã stadium meant that the condition of the concrete was poor. By maintaining a constant presence on site and cooperating closely with the main contractor, Q-railing was able to find the right solutions for mounting the channel to the concrete while observing applicable building regulations.

Spectacular views and impeccable safety
Stunning transparency and a contemporary look do not have to mean compromising on safety. Q-railing’s Easy Glass 3kN system can withstand loads of up to 3 kN. Because it meets the highest safety standards, it can be trusted to protect thousands of excited fans. Visitors now have more space and a perfect view from all areas within the stadium.

The Maracanã was the first Brazilian stadium to be completed, and it served as a reference project for other stadiums. After seeing the Maracanã balustrades, the stadium managers and project leaders at Arena Amazonia (Manaus) and Allianz Parque (São Paulo) also ordered Q-railing balustrades.

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New launch: space-saving 5kN glass balustrade
In 2015, Q-railing launched an even more robust system, Easy Glass Max, which can cope with line loads in excess of 5 kN. Its four different base shoe types (two top mount and two fascia mount) can be installed directly onto concrete. There is no need to attach them to a steel structure. The special F and Y-shaped variants allow for installation of the balustrade right on the edge of a concrete surface, for optimal use of space. All these characteristics make Easy Glass Max ideal for projects such as sports stadiums.

meet Q-Railing (and 60+ global project delegations) at TheStadiumBusiness Design & Development Summit 2016 (31 Oct-2 Nov). Reserve your place here to network with the future of stadia.

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