People has been using fabric as canopies for ages. Most of the time it is in the form of a temporary structure, but since 1972 tensile fabric was employed for a permanent structure by a German engineer, people has realized tensile fabric has a lot of advantanges against traditional building material. It also expanded the architect’s design limit, allowing them to conceive formerly impossible building shapes. Nowadays we could see a lot of tensile fabric structures around us. If we pay attention, we could find a lot, like stadium fabric roofs, car park shade structures, walkway shade canopies, shopping mall atrium canopies, entrance canopies etc.
Generally speaking, tensile fabric has below advantages:
Flexible Design: Tensile fabric is a flexible material. It could be rolled, folded or twisted. Due to the unique characteristics, tensile fabric structures give architects, designers, and engineers the opportunity to experiment with form and create visually exciting and iconic structures.
Quicker Installation: With proper construction methodologies in place by design-build specialty contractors for tensile architecture, the installation of tensile fabric structures is often faster and more cost-effective in comparison to traditional construction projects. Tensile fabric structure could be designed as a temporary structure as well as a permanent structure. It is an excellent alternative to the brick and mortar structures we once relied on.
Lightweight Nature: When looking to cover large areas of space, the light weight nature of fabric structure is a cost-effective solution for long span applications while allowing for the possibility of column-free space. As a result, tensile fabric requires less structural steel supports compared to traditional building products, ultimately reducing project costs for building owners.
Low Maintenance: Whether it’s the use of a Teflon™ (PTFE) coating on woven fiberglass membrane or a protective acrylic or PVDF top-coat on PVC membranes, tensile fabric structures have demonstrated as low maintenance projects for clients.
Excellent Durability: Based on the unique combination of design materials (such as PTFE-coated fiberglass, ETFE and PVC membranes), construction, and environment, the longevity and durability of tensile membrane structures have been proven to last and withstand harsh and extreme climates and environments around the world.
Bright, Natural Diffused Daylighting: Because of the translucency associated with nearly all of the fabric options, tensile fabric building structures provide an abundance of daytime light underneath, making it an inviting and comfortable space below.
