What Type of Roof Did the Globe Have and Its Connection to the Fire

The Globe was a 17th-century playhouse in London, and it had a thatched roof, a common material used for roofing in England at that time.

The Globe's thatched roof was made of straw or water reeds, which were tied together with wire or string.

This type of roof was prone to fires, which ultimately led to the destruction of the Globe in 1613.

The fire was caused by a combination of factors, including the dryness of the thatched roof and the sparks from a firework that was part of the play "The Merry Wives of Windsor."

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The roof of the Globe Theatre was made of straw thatch, which is a highly flammable material. This lack of fire safety led to a devastating fire in 1613.

The modern-day Globe, Globe Life Field, has a retractable roof that's a game-changer. It's the largest single-panel operable roof in the world, weighing in at 24 million pounds.

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The roof can open in just 12 minutes, providing shade and cooler temperatures all year round. The average temperature inside the facility stays in the mid-70s, a welcome relief from the Texas heat.

Transparent materials like ETFE and glass are used throughout the ballpark, giving fans wide-open views and plenty of natural light. The ETFE panels on the roof are made up of 223 clear panels, allowing sunlight to flood in.

The Thatch Fire at the Globe Theatre is a shocking reminder of the importance of fire safety in building design. In 1613, a misfired cannon during a performance of Henry VIII ignited the straw thatch roof of the balcony.

Cannons were often used for special effects, but they posed a significant risk of fire. The players used fireworks and smoke effects as well, but they didn't pay much attention to fire safety.

The straw thatch roof was a common feature in many buildings at the time, including the Globe Theatre. It provided good insulation and was relatively inexpensive to install.

Within just a couple of hours, the entire house was ruined, leaving the players without a home.

The retractable roof at Globe Life Field is a marvel of engineering, providing shade and a cooler temperature year-round. It's the largest single-panel operable roof in the world, weighing a staggering 24 million pounds.

The roof is made up of a white rubber membrane on the north and south sloped planes, and a flat center covered with 223 clear panels made of ETFE, a transparent plastic polymer. This allows for natural light to flood the entire facility.

The construction of the roof required an impressive 19,000 tons of steel, which is a testament to the scale and complexity of the project. It's a remarkable feat of engineering.

The roof can open in just 12 minutes, making it a convenient feature for events. This speed is made possible by the five steel trusses and tie-in steel between each truss.

The transparent building materials used throughout the ballpark, including ETFE panels, create wide-open views and let in plenty of natural light. It's a beautiful design that really showcases the space.

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