Al Ain Zoo tensile project
Previously, the company supplied a series of 30 hypar-shaped ‘Skylar’ structures designed for way-marking throughout the zoo’s welcome area. This tensile project will provide a number of canopies for the Souk – a new section opening within the attraction in summer 2016.
The design of the tensile project encompasses triangular panels linked to a central five-sided conic with a flying-mast, all interspersed with palm trees. The tensiles will span over 40 metres, connected directly to the wall around the perimeter, others supported by steel masts sitting over 10m high. A Serge Ferrari ‘pre-constraint’ fabric will be used for this design – durable and suitable for the local environment.
Tensiles and LEGO® meet in playfully clever project
The pool had its heyday between the 1920s and the 1970s but has since sat unused, at the southern end of Londsands. The Friends of Tynemouth Outdoor Pool, formed in 2012 to look into the potential of the site, have commissioned this fascinating architectural model in Lego®.
Built by Steve Mayes of Brickthis.co.uk and incorporating conceptual tensile fabric canopies from Fabric Architecture Limited, the model provides a unique insight into the untapped potential of the outdoor pool.
Steve has worked with Fabric Architecture on several photographic projects of their tensile structures. Both are now looking forward to developing their relationship with future collaborations, combining a joint passion for “the brick” with Steve’s expertise in producing architectural LEGO® models.
Chandos Fabric Roof From The Air
Over 3000 sqm of tensile fabric now covers the new tennis courts providing a members with the latest, state of the art facilities.
Rarely do we have the opportunity to view our projects from the air, but this week we were lucky enough to capture these aerial shots of the Chandos fabric roof, showing the wider Chandos site plus the scale and scope of our works for Main Contractors McLaughlin and Harvey.
Follow this project from contract award through to completion on our Blog - 'Watch it Unfold!'
Fabric Architecture and Westfield reunite
Fixed to existing buildings, suspended over car parks and by a busy hotel with guests to consider, this extremely complex fully-bespoke project will be delivered in a little under 5 months from initial instruction to final sign-off. Challenges aside, Fabric Architecture are delighted to once again be Westfield’s chosen contractor for this project and look forward to returning to Stratford City.
http://uk.westfield.com/stratfordcity/
New Street Opens
Fabric Architecture designed the fully-integrated fabric lining inside the new ETFE atrium and concourse.
Hailed an overwhelming success by press and passengers alike, the station design includes a vast light-filled concourse with a shopping centre including anchor store John Lewis, due to open later this week.
The guardian reports “Amazing. Just amazing” while BBC news declares “Look at this roof, it’s simply stunning” meanwhile the BBC News Breakfast have parked the red sofa under the roof for their Monday morning live broadcast, alongside BBC Business updates throughout the day.
Fabric Architecture designed, engineered and installed the fully-integrated fabric lining inside the new ETFE atrium and concourse. This large-scale interior project for Network Rail and Mace Group includes a bespoke steel truss framework and over 600sqm of tensile cladding, combining solid and mesh fabrics. The fabric collar sweeps around the upper retail level and forms teardrop openings among the steel ‘buttresses’. The use of tensile fabric allows a sleek and uninterrupted interface between the concrete bulkhead and the ETFE roof above.
New Street Progresses
This large-scale interior project includes a bespoke steel truss framework and over 600sqm of tensile cladding, combining solid and mesh fabrics.
Currently underway is the installation of the fabric collar which sweeps around the upper retail level and forms teardrop openings among the steel ‘buttresses’. The use of tensile fabric allows a sleek and uninterrupted interface between the concrete bulkhead and the ETFE roof above.
The full story about our fully-integrated fabric lining will shortly be available alongside other completed projects in our Projects section…
Final Phase at New Street
This week sees Fabric Architecture delivering the final touches to the tensile interiors – a fully-integrated fabric lining inside the new ETFE atrium and concourse.
This large-scale interior project for Network Rail and Mace Group includes a bespoke steel truss framework and over 600sqm of tensile cladding, combining solid and mesh fabrics. The fabric collar sweeps around the upper retail level and forms teardrop openings among the steel ‘buttresses’. The use of tensile fabric allows a sleek and uninterrupted interface between the concrete bulkhead and the ETFE roof above.
The full story will shortly be available alongside other completed projects in our Projects section...
Gracechurch Shopping Centre canopies
As the centre will remain open for business throughout, the team of expert installation engineers will work special hours to dismantle several small tensiles no longer serving a purpose, whilst re-skinning the main bespoke double conic structure with new canopies. The project, awarded by Hatmet, is due for completion in mid-October in time for the start of the festive shopping season and the specially selected high-translucency fabric from Japan will flood the area with natural light, allowing shoppers to enjoy the inside-outside space on a year-round basis.
http://www.gracechurchcentre.com/home.aspx
Stanstead Airport Canopy
MAG announced in June 2013 (as part of a visit to the airport by the Secretary of State for Transport) that it would be launching an £80 million terminal redevelopment programme (including a new canopy).
As part of this redevelopment, Galliford Try has awarded Fabric Architecture the contract to design, engineer and install a series of tensile canopies for the airport’s Meet & Greet Valet Parking service. The structures will cover over 600sqm of car parking space, providing welcoming and practical shelter for customers dropping off their vehicles at the premium parking area.
The design brief stipulated that the canopies should compliment the terminal building and the existing ETFE structure. The terminal building was designed by Foster Associates and features a “floating” roof, supported by a space frame of inverted-pyramid roof trusses, creating the impression of a stylised swan in flight.
The Fabric Architecture design comprises a low-impact barrel canopy of crisp white PVC fabric, on an uncomplicated steel framework, which is both galvanised and powder-coated to meet to the stringent 25+ year life-expectancy specification.
The project is due to complete in early summer 2015.
Lighting up Scottish Power Headquarters
The site, previously the home to the former Strathclyde Regional Council, overlooks the M8 motorway and Kingston Bridge and will replace Scottish Power’s current office locations in Falkirk, and Cathcart & Yoker in Glasgow.
Fabric Architecture was approached by a team of Glasgow-based architects appointed by Scottish Power who were struggling to find an adaptable solution for a series of ceiling voids on the ground level of the new 14-storey HQ building.
Other products on the market were either no longer being produced or were very limited in their flexibility. Fabric Architecture’s solution is adaptable to the project-specific needs and is offered at a fraction of the cost. Previous projects, such as Dublin T2 and Heathrow T2B provided the architects with an extra level of confidence to develop the project with the Fab Arch team.
13 large ceiling panels will now form part of the ground floor ceiling system, sitting flush within the plasterboard soffits and lighting up the hallways leading to several banks of lifts and stairwells.
Over several months, Fabric Architecture’s in-house design and engineering team has developed the system with the Architects and Main Contractor Laing O’Rourke, casting proprietary dies and building test rigs with a series of translucent fabrics, in order to achieve the desired lux levels.
The end result will be a slick, lightweight and demountable illuminated ceiling system, delivered on time and well inside the original budget anticipated by the client.
“Better to illuminate than merely to shine” Thomas Aquinas