Tensile Structures

The Neo Vertika loft condominium is the latest addition to the Miami River skyline. It features a unique architectural design with exposed basic materials such as concrete, block, steel and glass. A fabric structures with simple lines and pure shape was a natural finishing touch. Exposed galvanized steel beams radiate from the semi-circular entrance in varying angles. The variation angle creates the double curvature shape in the fabric. The fabric connects directly with the steel beams which are suspended from the balconies above. The fabric is tensioned with catenary cables on the front edge. The Neo Vertika project was built by Coastal Construction and the structure was contracted by Signature Structures. Lightweight Manufacturing provided the engineering and fabric panel manufacturing. The fabric is Ferrari 1002 Formula S.

FabriTec Structures, in collaboration with FTL Design and H3 Hardy Architecture, recently unveiled this stunning new tensile fabric structure at the Santa Fe Opera House in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The custom structure is a new addition to the cantina food service and outdoor dining facility which seats up to 175 people. The design of the structure was integrated with the new cantina building and supported on one side by the special truss columns and building structure, and on the other side by post and cables opening to eastern views of the Sangre de Cristo mountains. The tensile structure also collects rainwater, which is stored in a 12,000 gallon cistern and re-used for site irrigation. FabriTec et al received an Award of Excellence for the project in the 2008 International Achievement Awards sponsored by the Industrial Fabrics Association International.

Grier Pavilion is a dedication to the diversity of the people who have, are currently, and will in the future embody the Renovation Spirit of Riverside, California. The formal elements within the space compliment the “Festival of Lights” with multi-colored fabric forms and interaction information displays. The intent of the project was to create an eclectic gathering space for international visitors to the city and provide an identity for an outdoor pavilion area on the 7th floor of the City Hall, while also helping to minimize the impact and visual eyesore of a not-integrated steel structure that originally covered the existing roof. The Grier Pavilion community and city staff members now feel that they have a platform to communicate internationally through an iconic environment. The project recently earned an Outstanding Achievement Award in the 2008 International Achievement Awards sponsored by the Industrial Fabrics Association International.

As a result of Hurricane Ike, the original Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion (built in 1990) experienced significant damage. FabriTec was brought in to replace and double the size of the existing pavilion which now includes a whopping 90,000 square feet of PTFE fabric. The challenge was that the work needed to be completed in 5 months in order to be ready for the start of the new concert season. This would typically require 12 months of work but because of our resources and experienced staff we were able to execute the unimaginable. The grand re-opening of the pavilion took place in May of 2009 with the Dave Matthews as headliners.

FabriTec creates waves with these brand new Hypar PTFE fabric structures at the Stockton Waterfront Marina in California. As part of an ongoing expansion and renovation of the area, the structures provide shade for the boat slips and add plenty of aesthetic appeal to the nearby pedestrian promenade.

In Sharm el-Sheikh, a major tourist area in Egypt, the airport processes more than five million passengers in 2006, making it the second busiest airport in the country. That’s a lot of people looking up and around the building’s engineering and aesthetic design. This roofing structure for the airport terminal’s buildings features translucency and daylighting to reduce electrical needs traditionally associated with conventional lighting. The building structure was designed with tri-cord steel trusses, which are visible inside the terminal. The trusses were covered with architectural glass and integrated with the fabric membrane. As a result, the project has a unique architectural appearance that grabs the attention of the occupant.

This is a covering over two long corridors, also knows as streets, in a shopping center in the city of Chiclayo, Department of Lanbayeque, Peru. Strong winds were entering the food court area, discouraging people from eating there. The owners wanted an efficient, distinctive structure that would solve this problem, as well as shade customers from UV rays and create a light-and-shadow atmosphere. A double-curvature vertical membrance was designed to solve these problems. The series of membranes is joined by carrying cables reaching 7-meter-high columns, which are alternatively arranged with anchorage on the roogs, upon which the membranes hold. It sets the precedent for tenso-structure construction for shopping centers in northern Peru.

This is a scene for culture and art, situated in Alameda del Rio Park, neighboring the Government Palace. Proposed by Lima’s Town Council, it is part of the “Amusement and Culture Area”, along the Rimac River. In recent years, a plan for recovering areas in the city’s historic center has been developing; this would be used as a promenade along the banks of the river and as an amphitheater. The scene’s base is a circular platform, over which a covering with posts, cables and membranes has been designed. The primary challenge was to bring together a variety of feelings to convey to the users, achieved here through the lightness of this building, the shape of the membranes, and the rhythm with which they were organized. The result is fairly fluid, with coverings resembling sails’ movements, harmonizing with the flow of the river.

The project is a bus station, part of the Transmilenio Bus System that runs across the city. At this point, passengers transfer one bus to another. The architect wanted to create an iconic structure that would identify the station from a distance, while providing a quality space for the people waiting for their buses. The roof is made of three overlapping fabric pieces that depend on each other for their equilibrium and help circulate air. In addition, the roof had to clear an elevator and pedestrian bridge while providing cover for the descending stairs. The station has become an icon in the city, glowing at night, and people enjoy the interior. The structure was proposed as an alternative to a conventional steel stuss-and-tile roof, better fulfilling the architect’s intentions.

The project, three patio-cover canopies installed over an existing exterior seating area, is part of the remodeling of a large restaurant and nightclub. The owner requested canopies that would maintain natural lighting, while shielding patrons from direct sunshine, achieved with canopies configured to provide maximum solar shading. Being located near a busy highway overpass, the owner wanted to raise the prominence of the restaurant throughout the community, which was achieved by shaping and lighting the structures for maximum highway visibility. At night, the use of varying lighting color combinations provides a “billboard” for restaurant and nightclub events. The near weightlessness of the kites themselves is emphasized by careful engineering and detailing to limit member sizes and the bulk of structural connections.