| The Float at Marina Bay | |
|---|---|
| Location | Marina Bay, Singapore |
| Broke ground | 2006 |
| Opened | 2007 |
| Owner | Singapore Sports Council |
| Operator | Singapore Sports Council |
| Surface | Steel |
| Architect | Defence Science and Technology Agency |
| Capacity | 30,000 |
| Tenants | |
| Singapore Sports Council 2010 Summer Youth Olympics |
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The Float at Marina Bay, stylised as The Float@Marina Bay and also known as the Marina Bay Floating Platform (Chinese: 滨海湾浮动舞台, Malay: Pentas Terapung Teluk Marina, Tamil: மரீனா பே மிதக்கும் மேடை), is the world's largest floating stage.[1] It is located on the waters of the Marina Reservoir, in Marina Bay, Singapore.
Made entirely of steel, the floating platform on Marina Bay measures 120 metres long and 83 metres wide, which is 5% larger than the soccer field at the National Stadium.[1] The platform can bear up to 1,070 tonnes, equivalent to the total weight of 9,000 people, 200 tonnes of stage props and three 30-tonne military vehicles. The gallery at the stadium has a seating capacity of 30,000 people.[2][3]
The floating stadium will be a venue for events on the waters of Marina Bay for five years from 2007. These events may include sports, concerts, exhibitions, and the arts and cultural performances. The National Day Parade will also be held annually for five years at the stadium, which is meant to be an interim venue in place of the National Stadium until the Singapore Sports Hub at Kallang is completed in 2014.[1]
This stadium is part of the Marina Bay Street Circuit Turns 17 and 18, which hosted the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix. More famously, it was where Nelson Piquet, Jr. crashed his car which led to the Renault Formula One crash controversy.
Following Singapore's successful bid to host the inaugural 2010 Summer Youth Olympics, the floating stadium was under the spotlight during the Games, as the venue for the Games' opening and closing ceremonies.[4]
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The idea of a floating platform was conceived by the organising committee of the National Day Parade, 2007. In 2004, Colonel Teo Jing Siong, the chairman of the committee, was asked to source for a new venue for the National Day Parade as the National Stadium would be demolished. Teo had considered Jalan Besar Stadium, the Singapore Turf Club and Marina South before settling on Marina Bay, partly because of the city skyline that would form a backdrop for the parade. The Singapore Government evaluated that the temporary stadium is a cost effective solution in lieu of the closure of the National Stadium.[1][5]
In 2005, Teo's committee worked with the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and the Singapore Sports Council on the design of the floating platform, which could also be used to host other major events.[5]
After the design was finalised, the contractor, SembCorp Marine,[3][6] started construction of the floating platform in March 2006. The stage took 13 months to build, and by April 2007, the platform and seating gallery were completed.[5]
Many considerations were taken into account during the design phase for the construction of the floating platform. The Defence Science and Technology Agency, the platform's chief planner and developer, had to keep in mind not just its size and the load it could bear, but also make sure the structure can be relocated and reconfigured to meet the requirements of different events.[3]
As a result, the platform is made of smaller platforms of pontoons, each comprising hundreds of parts. 200 pontoons were envisioned, but a unique system of connectors allowed this number to be reduced to 15, which interlock like a jigsaw puzzle. These took one month to assemble. The connectors were designed to be light but robust.[3]
Six pylons fixed into the seabed act as the structure's foundation. Heavy-duty rubber rollers were used to gently guide the stage vertically to keep it from being rocked by tides and currents. Three linkways, which connect the floating platform to the land, have special integrated joints to keep them steady.[3]
The floating platform also had to be aesthetically pleasing to fit the scenic backdrop of the belt of hotels in Marina Centre. This limited the height of the seating gallery. The existing structures and the area's development plans capped the number of seats at 30,000.[3]
The platform has been equipped with numerous innovative features, like an internal drainage system, cabling structures and lightning rods.[3]
The first major event that was held at the floating stadium is the National Day Parade of 2007.[7] This was followed by the Singapore Fireworks Celebrations held on 17 and 18 August 2007.[8]
On 25 August 2007, the stadium was used to launch the six-week-long Waterfest Singapore 2007, which showcases stunts and performances by a water ski team and wakeboard professionals.[9] On 2 September 2007, the platform was the start and finish point for the Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore triathlon.[1][10]
From 15 September 2007 to 16 April 2008, the floating stadium was closed for Formula One works in preparation for the Singapore Grand Prix in September 2008. The stadium was not available for rental until after the race.[1] In August 2008, the National Day Parade was held at the stadium.
The Urban Redevelopment Authority is exploring the idea of making the 30,000-seat gallery available for the public to view fireworks during the New Year's Eve countdown at Marina Bay in December 2007. The public can access the platform when it is not booked for events.[1]
In November 2008, The Singapore Cup final between SAFFC and Woodlands Wellington FC was supposed to take place at the stadium. However, problem relating to the metal beams casting a shadow on the pitch forced the match to be played at the Jalan Besar Stadium instead. The first football match to be played on the platform was a Sunday League ESPZEN amateur match between Tuan Gemuk Athletic and VNNTU FC.[11]
In 2010, the stadium was the main stadium for the 2010 Summer Youth Olympic Games. On the 2nd of October, the stadium became the venue for the graduation parade of the recruits from the Singapore Armed Forces Basic Military Training Schools
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