THE CHALLENGE – ENCLOSE A GIANT EXHIBITION SPACE COST-EFFECTIVELY
As part of a $108 million redevelopment, the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds needed an enclosed venue for agricultural show days, exhibitions, concerts, and other events. But how do you enclose a 107,000 square-foot exhibition pavilion without blowing the budget or creating a monstrous monthly lighting bill? The answer – a big-top 89 feet high that has been dubbed “the biggest tent in Australia.” Today this giant tensile membrane structure is the showgrounds’ centerpiece.
THE SOLUTION – AN ELEGANT BIG TOP WITH BILLOWING CURVES
Our dramatic solution tensioned 142,600 square feet of PVC fabric to create billowing curves over giant supporting legs. The light-diffusing properties of the material allow filtered sunlight to stream through the roof. At night the tension membrane structure is beautifully illuminated, providing a stunning glowing effect that shows off the membrane’s futuristic shape. The use of tensile architecture for this pavilion roof had clear benefits. Not only was it much cheaper than a conventionally built roof, it also makes excellent use of natural light and provides a distinctive focal point for visitors to the showgrounds.
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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 […]
