The design concept for the entrance pavilion to the Steve Jobs Theatre called for an almost
impossibly thin structure supported only on a curved glass façade, forming a structure which
appeared to float effortlessly above the ground that would provide uninterrupted views of the
surrounding landscape.

The roof is a shallow disc, 155 feet in diameter which sits on a 135 feet diameter glass wall. Initial
design considered a highly optimised radial steel structure with an FRP shell cladding. In order to
achieve the thinnest roof a solution was developed where the external FRP shell surface could form
both the building envelope and a structural shell in order to remove the steel structure and separate
waterproofing layers entirely. The philosophy of using the shell structure to perform multiple roles
resulted in a thinner build up and a much simpler roof assembly which was lighter and made very
effective use of the FRP panels.

The roof was split into 44 segments arranged around a central hub which enabled a very efficient
production process, and the flanges of the panels were used to form stiffeners and also incorporate
a watertight seal to form the building envelope. The roof segments were joined to the hub using a
bolted joint which was based on the laminate details used to fix keel structures to high performance
racing yachts.

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