Our client was looking for a demountable wall system to their new exhibition hall structure built to house the National Cold War Exhibition.
We designed, manufactured and installed the fabric panels and the associated steelwork. We also installed the steel framework and trusses.
The tensile fabric structure fulfills a practical purpose as removable walling, as well as being a dynamic use of interior space allowing light into the building.
Having completed the construction of the two iconic No. 8 Towers at Stratford’s East Village, Mace required removal of the temporary fabric cladding that had been used during the build to provide sheltered working areas.
Base Structures UK planned and executed a comprehensive and safe method of work for the dismantling of the PVC screens and associated fixing from these two soaring 113m and 127m high towers.
We provided a team of expert fabric technicians Rope Access personnel who specialise in working at height to set about removing the fabric panels.
Before the removal of the temporary screens, we had worked with the client at the design development stage of the fabric wrap under a pre-contract service.
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As the second project for Sainsburys, printed TEXO fabric cladding has proved popular with the client, not only for the impressive speed of installation due to off site assembly, but also the ability to customize the fabric cladding with architectural graphics.
Working for our partners, Aura Custom, we utilised our inhouse wide format UV printers to print 119 tensile fabric panels. The design by Unit Architects consisted of an overcladding using steel reinforced pvc/polyester mesh tensioned onto TEXO frames developed by Italian company Tensoforma.
Covering a total of 2,000 m2 the graphic panels are used as fabric cladding to a car park as well as being carried over into the cladding of the supermarket itself.
The ‘Lilas’ leaf and petal design on the fabric was by the Pitzker-Prize winning architect, Zaha Hadid. It is 5.5 meters in height and is formed by three identical tensile fabric parasols arranged around a central point.
The clients brief was to pattern, manufacture and install this unique tensile fabric structure as a focal point for the Serpentine Gallery’s ‘Summer Party’.
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The Highways Agency anti-corrosion programme for the Severn River Suspension Bridge requires the sealing of the cables with Hypalon fabric wrapping. Initially we supplied rope access labour to assist with the wrapping work but whilst on site we soon realised that the process could be much improved with the use of an inflatable welding blanket.
Using technologies developed through out core business of manufacturing Tensile Fabric Structures, we designed, manufactured and supplied a solution incorporating an air cushion that when pressurised, formed itself onto the surface of the main cable whatever the size or shape. This system successfully speeds up the de-humidification process and improves the quality of weld and has been widely adpopted within the bridge cable wrapping industry.
We completed the first phase of these works in 2007 but this is an ongoing project with further phases of work and many more bridges and cables to go!
The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust approached Base Structures with a specific problem for their proposed new exhibit housing Redshanks and Avocets. They needed a world class enclosure that did not feel enclosed, had an exceptionally low environmental impact and was as affordable as possible to construct, install and maintain. A fundamental requirement was also for the fabric of the structure to be wader bird friendly; these species are very fragile and if spooked can easily damage themselves on solid obstructions.
Paul Pattison, Development Projects Officer, Slimbridge WWT
Andy Traynor, Project Manager, Base Structures
To provide as natural an environment as possible, the enclosure uses tough 25x25mm knotted polyethelene, a surprisingly unobtrusive material that is not visually dominating. From inside the enclosure the netted walls appear to be almost nonexistent against the surrounding landscape, providing an incredibly natural environment for the birds. This is enhanced by the supporting timber posts and netting surfaces being installed at various angles, creating a natural effect with no perpendicular lines, helping to minimise the man-made appearance of the enclosure. To offer protection to the delicate wading birds the supporting timber posts around the edge of the enclosure are all placed outside the netting, preventing possible injuries if the birds are scared into flight.
The biggest environmental savings were achieved by using construction techniques that did not require the use of any concrete. As such, the supporting structure was installed using alternative foundation techniques that did not literally cost the earth. Fully engineered timber posts hold up the entire net structure, providing the necessary support with a natural, renewable material that is no more intrusive within the enclosure than a few slender trees.
A key requirement from the Trust was to ensure that the structure would be as economical as possible to maintain in the future. As a critical design requirement from the very beginning of the project, we managed to engineer a solution into the structure that alleviated the need for carrying out inspection or repair at any great height. We achieved this with a very simple system; the netting is attached to metal rings that are slightly larger in diameter than the structural timber posts, these rings are hoisted up and down the posts by a system of ropes and pulleys from ground level – being simply tied off to hold the netting in final position. Thus the whole netting structure can be easily and quickly lowered down the supporting timbers for any work to be carried out at ground level, ensuring significant costs for the lifetime of the structure.
We worked closely with the Trust to supply this enclosure in kit form, allowing them to use their own equipment and expertise to install the structure with minimal supervision from ourselves. Our comprehensive survey provided the exact locations and angles for the timber posts, after these were installed by the Trust we fitted the cabling, in turn enabling the Trust to install the netting themselves and complete the installation. Once installation was successfully completed the team at the Trust had also gained the necessary experience to undertake any future maintenance themselves.
The Trust are thrilled with their new visitor attraction, the cost savings achieved in construction and the knowledge that the enclosure will continue to perform in the future for minimal outlay. The birds have settled in superbly and exhibit their natural behaviour, presenting visitors with a privileged experience; to see the birds acting naturally at close quarters without feeling you are confined in a restricted space. The Trust have commented that they hope the birds may eventually breed, a sure sign of success! This would then become an even bigger attraction for visitors, helping to develop visitor empathy and fondness for the birds which is beneficial to the broader WWT conservation efforts.
Our client asked us to design, fabricate and install a banner system that would be able to withstand the extreme weather systems at the top of this 150m high tower, adjacent to the Irish sea. The banners are supported on an aluminium system fixed back to the structure via a steel sub frame.
We designed, engineered and installed this system then manufactured and installed the fabric banners. This solution has worked well. Working at such a height required top notch rope access operatives, who did a great job. Albeit a scary thought for most of us, they thoroughly enjoyed it.
The pupils of St Michaels school in Kings Lynn look forward to their playtimes more than most. It is not because their lessons are boring however – in 2010 the school completed a playground remodelling program complete with a new colourful play surface, a tree planting scheme and a contemporary tensile fabric structure, which we were asked to provide.
No tie-rods are needed on the steelwork for this structure, meaning there are no trip hazards for the children to injure themselves on whilst they recklessly chase each other around. Whilst the structure may be part of our pre-designed range the client could specify the exact RAL colour for the steelwork, in this instance they chose a rich, deep blue.
Choosing one of our pre-designed structures to maximise their budget, the Mendip 6P 500 presents a real focal point in the playground environment, the expressive curved steel masts creating a sculptural tensile fabric canopy that provides shelter from the sun and rain.
Our brief was to install temporary wraps to the columns at the entrance of Tate Britain, as a special feature linking in with the David Batchelor artwork exhibition taking place at the time. The wraps acted not only as an advertisment for the exhibition but were a vibrant and imaginative use of the existing buildings architecture.
The project was more complicated than it looked as each natural stone column is unique and therefore each one had to be individually surveyed by our climbers before patterning the fabric to suit. We manufactured the wraps from fabric printed to the colours specified by the artist and installed them at night, once again using ropes access techniques. The Tate Britain Museum were extremely pleased with the result of the finished product and the high quality.
Designed exclusively for couples, The Rendezvous Hotel is an idyllic and intimate Caribbean hideaway, set on a beautiful two-mile stretch of white sandy beach and surrounded by seven acres of tropical gardens. To cover an outdoor seating area where couples and honeymooners enjoy the finest cuisine right at the water’s edge, an open tensile fabric canopy was needed to provide both solar shade and the occasional rain protection.
Based on one of our previous projects at Priory School, our pre-designed Malvern canopy was modified for this restaurant to ensure its high points were in the middle of the structure whilst its low points were on the edge. This was for practical reasons to ensure that staff members could easily access the seating area without the canopy getting in the way whilst serving customers. Also, due to the surrounding marine environment, we needed to use a very high specification of stainless steel to avoid any rusting. Finally, due to the risk of occasional hurricanes and high wind speeds, the restaurant needed the ability to dismount the fabric when necessary.
We may be biased, but the Toes in the Sand restaurant would definitely make it onto our bucket list. The addition of a tensile fabric canopy creates a more modern and stylish look to the restaurant whilst providing an intimate atmosphere for diners… who knew tensile fabric could be so romantic!
in Bristol
