Fiserv Forum

The arena’s exterior demanded complex, fine-tuned engineering solutions, particularly for its dynamic, bi-directional curving roof which transitions into the north facade. 

Fiserv Forum was conceived as a multipurpose venue, which required engineering solutions for rigging grids that could rapidly switch from hosting basketball and hockey games, to supporting show configurations for concerts, circuses, ice events, and exhibitions. 

Milwaukee’s harsh winter loading conditions were a major concern in the design process, and the arena’s structure had to be capable of withstanding them.

After the start of design and costing, the project had a three-year window to wrap up and meet the NBA-issued an ultimatum for the Milwaukee Bucks to build a new arena or face the prospect of relocation.

We studied seven roof configurations based on structural efficiency, constructability, and functionality. Advanced parametric modeling helped optimize roof truss spans and depths while accounting for sightlines, rigging grids, and construction schedules.

Leveraging digital workflows helped us evaluate rigging grid options, and we settled on a 45,000 square feet assembly with a load capacity of 450,000 pounds. We also worked to reduce the number of erected steel pieces and determine how to support the 82,000-pound scoreboard.

Walter P Moore worked alongside wind and climate specialists to identify specific roof shapes and facade materials that seamlessly integrated barriers, alongside melt and removal systems into the structural design.

We introduced geometric repetition into the structural design, to streamline fabrication and erection. This helped establish cost certainty by providing early, accurate data on materials and steel connections.

Our digital workflow and enclosure engineering expertise rationalize complex facade geometries with intersecting curves and surfaces. The engineering solutions we devised for Fiserv Forum helped realize a weather-resistant enclosure with an iconic silhouette.

The venue’s show-rigging grid can shift between multiple event configurations in quick succession while the scoreboard can be concealed to preserve sightlines during concerts. This flexibility allows Fiserv Forum to completely transform as it hosts events all year round.

The arena opened in time for the NBA season before the deadline, and it earned LEED Platinum certification, becoming one of only two NBA arenas to achieve such a rating.