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Steel Structure Gymnasium for Colombia Community
Case Detail
Partner Country: Colombia (Medellín City)
Cooperation Timeline: 2025 (July - November)
Client Profile: A local community committee in Medellín, responsible for community public services and cultural and sports activities. The client needed a small community gymnasium to meet the needs of residents’ fitness, basketball, volleyball, and small-scale cultural performances.
Project Demand: Construct a steel structure gymnasium with a multi-functional venue, ensuring wind resistance (adapting to Medellín’s tropical rainforest climate with sudden strong winds), earthquake resistance (Colombia is a seismic zone), and good lighting and ventilation.
Project Execution
1. Design & Planning
- Architectural Parameters: Total area of 1,600 ㎡ (40 m × 40 m), eave height of 6.8 m, ridge height of 9.2 m; spherical roof design to enhance structural stability and aesthetic appearance, with a clear span of 40 m (no internal columns) to maximize usable space.
- Structural Design: Adopted space truss steel structure with Q355B steel, complying with Colombian building code NSR-10 and seismic design standard NSR-10-2015 (seismic intensity 7 degrees). Design wind load of 0.68 kN/㎡, capable of withstanding gusts up to 66 m/s; the space truss structure enhances earthquake resistance and wind resistance, reducing structural deformation.
- Functional Layout: Main venue (1,200 ㎡) with a basketball court (standard size: 28 m × 15 m), convertible to volleyball court and fitness area; 4 auxiliary rooms (80 ㎡ each) for changing rooms, equipment storage, and office; equipped with 20 skylights (1.5 m × 1.5 m) for natural lighting, reducing energy consumption.
2. Material Usage
The project utilized a total of 7200 tons of structural steel
- Main Frame: Space truss composed of hot-rolled steel pipes (φ114×4.5, φ140×5.0) for good load-bearing and seismic performance; the spherical roof truss is connected by high-strength bolts to ensure structural stability.
- Enclosure System: 0.55 mm thick colored aluminum plates for roof and walls (lightweight and corrosion-resistant), with 100 mm thick rock wool insulation core; the walls are equipped with glass windows (2.0 m × 2.5 m) for ventilation and natural lighting.
- Foundation & Accessories: 180 m³ of C35 reinforced concrete for pile foundations (adapting to seismic requirements), 64 sets of anchor bolts (M36 × 800 mm), 20 skylights with tempered glass, 1 set of indoor lighting system, and 1 set of ventilation system.
3. Construction & Completion
- Construction Period: 85 days (site preparation to acceptance), with 30 on-site construction personnel and 3 professional supervisors (including 1 seismic structure specialist).
- Key Highlights: The space truss was prefabricated in sections and hoisted on-site, ensuring installation precision; the pile foundation was driven to a depth of 2.5 m to enhance seismic resistance; the roof was equipped with a waterproof and drainage system to adapt to Medellín’s frequent rainfall.
- Acceptance: Passed Colombian local seismic, wind load, and fire protection inspections; the gymnasium remained intact during a sudden strong wind (gusts 62 m/s) in November 2025, and the seismic performance met the design requirements.
Project Advantages & Client Feedback
The community committee commented: “The steel structure gymnasium is spacious, safe, and beautiful. It meets the diverse needs of our residents for fitness and cultural activities, and its wind and earthquake resistance gives us a sense of security.” The project’s advantages include strong seismic and wind resistance, large clear span, good lighting and ventilation, and compliance with local building standards.
