THE CHALLENGE – SHELTER THAN CAN GROW WITH THE AIRPORT
Auckland International Airport is the main gateway to New Zealand. It greets more than 10 million passengers each year. During the past decade, there has been significant growth in passenger and aircraft numbers, and this trend is continuing. To cope with added demand, the airport has had to expand in every direction. And with every expansion, thought must be given to even further growth in the future.
OUR SOLUTION – FLEXIBLE DESIGN THAT CAN BE EASILY RE-DEPLOYED
Since 1995, spectacular Structurflex tensile membrane structures have been a feature of Auckland International Airport, serving to provide shelter as well as architectural merit. Initially, our work involved the design and installation of two vertical coated PES membrane structures to accentuate the main terminal entrance. Later, as the airport has grown, existing tension membranes have been relocated and mixed in with newly designed membranes. Because of the fabric’s longevity, there is no visible evidence to show where existing and new fabric connects. The flexibility of tensile membranes and ingenuity of our design team contribute equally to protecting the airport’s significant investment in fabric structures.
We are pleased to have collaborated with KieranTimberlake and the outfit of a parking structure on the Rice University Campus. In their blog post, they describe the concepts they employed to create an iconic sculptural element. For more details see the KieranTimberlake blog post.
The Increasing Importance of DurabilityWhile tensile fabric has several distinct advantages over more traditional materials like glass, one of the most important may be its ability to withstand severe weather events. Our tensile structures and tensile facades in Miami, Jacksonville, Houston, Fort Worth, Waco, and Atlanta did not sustain any damage or require any repair despite enduring events ranging […]
