Buffalo, New York is pretty far from the tropics. Structurflex provided the ETFE triple-layer architecture that made it possible to recreate a tropical rain forest in upstate New York.
Structurflex met the challenge of creating the weather extremes of an Amazonian rain forest in upstate New York — a place that experiences a lot of snow every year. That meant creating an indoor structure that kept heat and light in, and the cold out. The ultraviolet light transmission was of the utmost importance, and our architectural and design elements were up to par with the zoologists’ requirements for the plant and animal life that would reside in the structure.
The triple-layer ETFE canopy is just as transparent as glass, but it’s far more efficient. ETFE does not restrict UV light transfer, nor does it break down from UV exposure. It’s much lighter than class, weighing in at 1/100 of its weight. ETFE requires much less structural support, and means that visitors can have a pretty much obstruction-free view.
The ETFE structure at the Buffalo Zoo uses a lever system Structurflex created taht opens 12 cushions to allow for passive ventilation.
The five-story, 60’s era West Hills Medical Office Building in Los Angeles was due for an exterior facelift. A complete exterior renovation by Michael W. Folonis Architects revealed that water infiltration had caused structural damage to the existing horizontal plaster awnings; removing them was a costly process that consumed much of the project budget. This […]
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.
