This paper deals with the issues involved during the design of a complex gymnasium located at the new campus of Zhejiang University (Fig.1). It is a two-story building with the first floor used for field competition and the second for students' basketball training. The heavy live loads acting on the second floor and the requirement of 35 m unobstructed Fig.1 Perspective view of the gymnasium space challenge the creativity of the structural engineers. Furthermore, the architects are concerned with the sculptural qualities and visual possibilities, also with the search for expression and meaning. No seams are permitted for the 120 m long structure. The beauty of tension roof structures connecting and unifying the inner and outer worlds, in working together with nature instead of subduing it, inspired the architectures adopting tension membrane structures in the area that is frequently attacked by typhoon during summer. So the engineers have to solve the following problems with respect to the structural designs through careful layout of the structure and rigorous calculations: (1) heavy live loads; (2) long span space; (3) extraordinary length; and (4) flexible construction. Prestressed reinforced concrete members, tubular steel members, cables and thin tensile membranes are combined in an ordered manner according to form and structural behavior.
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