San Manuel Casino

The barrel vault structure covers vehicle drop off area of the grand entrance to the casino in the San Benardino Valley near Los Angeles, and provides weather protection for the casino’s wealthy and high flying visitors.

The membrane was manufactured in one piece and was tensioned off out to a perimeter steel gutter and attached over a standard aluminium lufftruck. Designers had to accommodate the requirement for rapid dismantling, as the structure is built over the main water supply to Los Angeles. In the event of a problem with the pipeline, the fabric and support steelwork can be craned away to allow access. For this purpose a fabric membrane roof design provided a practical addition without compromising the aesthetics of the building.

At each corner of the canopy the fabric incorporates a curved cut out to avoid the stone-clad column. The membrane is restrained by a catenary cable connected to curved cable plates on the fabric and a fabric up stand diverts rainwater to the perimeter gutters.