The Ford Amphitheater is an 8,000-seat outdoor venue nestled in Colorado Springs, Colorado, offering stunning views of Pikes Peak, fondly known as “America’s Mountain.” It’s designed to deliver a top-tier concert experience for the residents of southern Colorado, without the need to trek up to Red Rocks Amphitheater in Denver (another S-5! snow guard project).
The venue's mountainous location makes it prone to extreme weather conditions, including snow, ice and wind. The Ford Amphitheater needed a penetration-free, fully engineered, aesthetically pleasing snow retention solution that would both match the roof and last the life of the roof.
ColorGard was custom-designed and engineered for this project to mitigate potential rooftop avalanches, which could pose a serious threat to performers, concertgoers and equipment below.
The new 14,580 square foot roof, soaring up to 70 feet above the stage floor, is exposed to extreme weather conditions, including high winds (up to 100 mph), snow and ice. Without an effective snow retention system, snowpack and ice could easily escape, posing a serious risk to performers, concertgoers and expensive equipment.
How Did ColorGard Help?
• Provided the aesthetic solution the architect desired and low-profile solution resists wind uplift
• Provided safety measures to performers, staff and concertgoers below
• Eliminated the risk of a voided roof manufacturer warranty―no holes/no damage
• Reduced the amount of product and cost required due to S-5! documented holding strength and engineered system capacity
Standing seam metal roofing is renowned for its exceptional performance in high-wind conditions, due to its attachment methods and interlocking installation where roof panels are joined together and attached to the building’s structure, reducing the ability of wind to disrupt the panels. Metal roofing lends itself to high-wind areas because it can be engineered during the design phase to easily withstand nearly any uplift force.
Extensively tested for load-to-failure, ColorGard dramatically reduces the risks associated with rooftop avalanches, offering enhanced safety. Its sleek, seamless appearance not only perfectly matches the color of the roof, but also elevates the overall aesthetic with a visually appealing look.
The Ford Amphitheater was able to achieve the quality look it wanted with a snow retention system that maintains the roof integrity, mitigates potential rooftop avalanches and complements the look of the roof, providing a clean appearance and perfect-color and finish-matching, designed and engineered to last the life of the roof.
The S-5-U (“U” stands for Universal) is a popular and versatile roof clamp. Its generous dimensioning accommodates a majority of the standing seam profiles in North and South America—including most structural and architectural profiles.
ColorGard dramatically reduces the risks associated with rooftop avalanches and maintains the clean, colorful appearance of the roof with perfect color and finish matching, which lasts as long as the roof itself!
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