San Diego Convention Center, Sails Pavilion

Overview 

The San Diego Convention Center Sails Pavilion is lighting up the city's skyline, thanks to a roof replacement. The original roof, made of a tensioned PTFE membrane held up by steel masts and cables, was removed. In its place, a new roof with a similar geometry was constructed, incorporating both new materials and recycled elements from the original structure. The standout feature is the LED lighting, which allows the roof to change colors, creating a vibrant visual effect both within and outside the pavilion. This pavilion offers a flexible, column-free area that can host a variety of events, from banquets to performances.

We worked with Birdair on the project, serving as the Engineer of Record for the roofing system and providing construction engineering services.

Highlights

• The scope of the construction engineering services included assessing the floor loads of the convention center during construction and evaluating the impact of the mobile crane on nearby underground utilities.
• The new roof was designed to withstand wind and seismic loads based on the current codes, which impose increased demands compared to the codes in place during the original construction.