Moralzarzal, a unique architectural project mobile cover

The plaza de toros covered in Moralzarzal of 12,000 m2 of total area built, inaugurated on September 23, 2005, has been planned and executed in a time of 10 months. This square presents the uniqueness of being crowned by a retractable cover, whose project and construction was commissioned by the City Council the company Lanik, who during the last decade has been operating in the field of mobile decks. Both the structural design and engineering of the opening and closing systems have been developed by this company, which has been entrusted to Demag Cranes & Components, manufacturer of equipment for lifting and handling of loads, the supply of drives that made the opening of the mobile sectors.

The main structure of the building is of reinforced concrete with an exterior cladding in granite. Cover of 80 m. in diameter whose shape is that of a spherical CAP is based on it, by 33 points. This provision promotes the structural work as dome producing a very homogeneous distribution of efforts and ultimately a lighter structure.

This cover has a fixed part that covers the whole of the bleachers, but that leaves a large central aperture on the arena of 1,400 m² approximately. This opening can be closed or be discovered by the displacement of two moving parts. Both the structure of the fixed part and the mobile are built from space mesh. The result is a perfect combination of tradition and present, allowing a maximum capacity of 6,000 spectators.

This retractable cover design is based on the system "eyelid" patented and developed by Lanik, applied previously in other facilities. This system breaks down the deck in a fixed central opening portion and two moving parts slide symmetrically on the fixed, in a downward motion, overlap to make it clear the central opening. On the other hand, to close the cover mobile parties develop a movement upward to join the central point on the ring. Each of the moving parts, which weighs 30 tons, is supported by 8 blocks of wheels Demag distributed in 4 ends. These wheels move through the corresponding rail beams.

Closing and opening of the semicubiertas movements, requires a contribution of force of traction and retention respectively in the moving parts, made by four teams of drive set to the fixed structure at both ends of the central opening. These teams have been supplied by Demag which has also implemented the electrical system that feeds them and sync as well as the rest of the elements of command, control and security to complete the installation. The journey of opening of each semicubierta is approximately 20 m and takes place in 8 minutes, and can perform the operations of opening or closing with both semicubiertas at the same time or with each of them separately.

The control system of the deck, developed by Demag, consists of a console command located in a control room of the facilities, at the same level of the arena, where an operator activates the dome through a single control panel. Thus, complexity implemented in the control system has resulted in a large facility in the execution of manoeuvres for opening and closing of the cupola.

Complementing the installation, it has prepared a set of security systems such as: a meter of the speed of the wind, that if you exceed 50 km/h would send a signal to the control system to prevent the drive from the moving parts, and a few detectors which in the presence of some object in the lanes of rolling pararían the movement.

These security mechanisms are completed with proximity detectors and end of the race to stop the installation when they arrive at the end of the tour. In the position of closing are in addition a solenoid which fix the moving parts.

The possibility of carrying out events to heaven opened, closed or semi-open allows that they can be held from sporting and musical events, parades of fashion or even shooting spots and film scenes, so its usefulness is multiplied and therefore the profitability is very high. In the words of the excmo. Mayor of Moralzarzal, D. José María Moreno, "make a building of these without the cover mobile would be a total mistake".

Demag Cranes & Components has a wide experience in the engineering of the drive, having applied his designs in other installations, such as for example, the roof of the plaza de toros de Leganés, the pool of the polideportivo Dehesa Boyal, the Ice Palace and the dust jacket of the Museo del Prado (all in Madrid)as well as the platform of the Mall "The machinist" in Barcelona.

Currently, participates in the execution of another project of similar characteristics to the Moralzarzal to implement the DEMAG drives, this time in the plaza de toros de Elvas, in Portugal. The design of this mobile dome modelled also eyelid of the company Lanik, in this case for a square of 70 meters in diameter, with two mobile sections of about 580 square meters and 21 tonnes each.