Appointed by BAA, Stride Treglowan undertook a radical makeover of the International Departures Lounge to create a more stimulating space and enhance the customers travel experience. We fabricated and installed the fabric, printed artwork and supporting steelwork to the Olympus Rings, internal ceiling kites, Matterhorn sculpture, information desk canopy and end bay banners.
This was a complex project with a number of different elements. It was installed during short night shifts. It went very well and was ready in time for the re-openeing of the departure lounge. The works have improved the internal space. BAA are very pleased with it and have reported increased sales in the shopping areas.
Perched on a Devonian escarpment in Salcombe overlooking the English Channel, this very small but distinctly elegant new cafe installation provides a welcome bolthole for walkers and the more adventurous among us from the extremes of our summer and winter weather.
The canopy is attached to a single continuous wall by a perforated stretch CS Trevira closer detail which ensures the fuggy mix of steam from the water burco’s and body heat from the trail walkers and mountain bikers does not condense and cause a damp atmosphere inside.
The often stiff incoming sea breeze which accelerates upwards over the rising escarpment can be the cause of large deflections in the canopy. This flexible closer detail allows the tensioned canopy and membrane plates to move freely on their spigot / boss attachments which can be seen on the protruding timber truss end caps, thereby ensuring the integrity of the overall structure is never compromised.
The moss green coloured PVC twin cone canopy sails over the top of the timber wall, which cleverly spirals inwards attracting the customer inside through a broad welcoming doorway.
A new sports complex situated in Fynshav, Denmark wanted to add interest to their roof through seven PVC triple conic roof structures, each measuring from 4.5m x 5m to 7m x 7.5m. Each of these were to consist of a traditional upright multi-conic canopy with a mirrored inverted multi-conic hanging from the underside so that the wow-factor would continue into the entrance lobby.
The innovative forms consist of a series of multi-conic membranes whose head-rings are spread apart by flying struts. Reinforced circular openings in the membrane reveal the engineered cable system that suspends the telescoping masts that brace the structure. Tensioning of the two opposing skins was achieved through use of the cable suspended masts linking between the mirrored headrings. Achieving a correctly balanced load between inner and outer cones is the only way to ensure the perfect wrinkle-free appearance of both membranes.
The hyperbolic fabric wall panels fill the void between the conic roofing structures and the timber walls of the building, providing enhanced natural lighting inside the entrance hall to the school’s sports complex. All installation of the steelwork and fabric was undertaken by our in-house installation team who were on-site in Denmark for just four weeks.
Architects Douglas Wallace were keen to provide a keynote feature for the brand new Fresh retail stores being launched in Dublin.
We designed, manufactured and installed the fabric cones, supporting steel frame and associated fittings. Similar feature tensile canopies were installed in a further two retail stores in the city.
The tensile fabric cones create an elegant cafe culture feel to this unique food store, setting them apart from the competition. By uplighting the fabric canopies a soft reflected light illuminates the produce as well as providing visibility from the street.
Bristol City Council required a new playground shade canopy for Fairfield School in Ashley Down, at its original site prior to the schools relocation the following year.
A canopy was designed and constructed with its relocation to the new site as a part of the overall works package. Base Structures scope of works included the design and construction of both the canopy and its supporting foundations. This steel framed structure has a 100% PVDF lacquered PVC membrane.
All works are now complete and the images show the canopy in its final location.
Set in a disused quarry, Edinburgh International Climbing Arena (EICA) is Europe’s largest indoor climbing arena with more than 300 potential climbing routes and a world famous aerial assault course suspended 30 metres above the ground. The quarry is enclosed by a vast tensile fabric roof which had reached the end of its life span, so Base were called in to design, fabricate and install a replacement roof to ensure the climbing centre could continue to operate at the highest level, suitable for international climbing competitions.
Base specified an upgraded modern fabric, Mehler TF 400 Crystal, to replace the existing. With 40% translucency and a higher tensile strength for added durability the new fabric would ensure a brighter interior and longer life span for the climbing centre.
The project comprised removal of the existing roof and installation of seven valley roofs, eight ridge panels, seven wall panels and two gable walls covering a 6,150 square meter footprint. The scope also included structural steel remedials to increase strength and painting. During the course of the project, minimising disruption to the ongoing operation of the centre was key, with work scheduled accordingly and plenty of contingency planning to cope with the extreme weather conditions that affected the entire country at the start of the year.
“Zero incidents on a project this complex in very taxing weather would be a remarkable achievement for most companies, but it’s all in a day’s work for Base Structures. The prescient approach brought by the team – smoothing the way to keeping the building operational, despite developing design during the contract due to pre-construction access restrictions – made it a pleasure to work with them all. It’s rather sad we don’t expect to see them back for 25-30 years (on this job anyway!)”.
Mo Blane, CDM-C/Architect, EICA roof replacement
The Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone is a unique partnership between Coleg Gwent, Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council and the University of South Wales to provide a high quality post-16 educational centre. Taking a walk around the campus this is evident in the very fabric of the buildings themselves – cutting edge facilities abound utilising the latest technology including triple glazing and rainwater harvesting. Our brief was to extend the state-of-the-art facilities outside the buildings.
We supplied and installed a MakMax Centra architectural umbrella. Available with a square, rectangular, octagonal and hexagonal canopy shade, the Learning Zone utilised a 5.4m x 5.4m square PVC canopy to perfectly fit within an exterior courtyard to create a sheltered breakout space. Able to withstand 90mph winds, the umbrella is supported by a central column and is fully collapsible. The shade membrane is also UV stable with stainless steel fittings and cables.
In short the Learning Zone can be assured that this investment will continue to look good and perform perfectly for many, many years!
After creating the barrel vaulted roof for the East Ayrshire Athletics Centre covered track in September 2011, Base returned to site to add a pre-designed grandstand Grampian canopy along the edge of the outside running track.
Integral rainwater collection diverts water from the surface of the membrane into flexi-pipes that connect directly into the steelwork of the structure, concealing the drainage system and preventing drips of water down the back of the neck. The minimalist steelwork also maximises space under the canopy whilst providing convenient posts to perform warm up stretches against.
Really a showcase for simple, effective design, the unobtrusive canopy does it’s job brilliantly. All in all a real star of track and field.
The East Ayrshire Athletics Centre comprises of a 400m running track, field activities and a covered indoor sprinting track. Since its first outing at the Munich Olympics, the use of fabric in a sports setting has become a well established motif. Properties such as elegance of form, lightness of structure and gloom busting light translucency present both coherent solutions to the problems presented to municipal sports architecture and dazzling opportunities to create signature structures for clients – and this is exactly what the client wanted.
The barrel vaulted structure shown here, including secondary steelwork and water capture and collection, was delivered by Base for less than £150 per m2, proving that eyecatching and expensive are not necessarily fated to be uttered in the same breath.
Our client required an architectural feature to enhance the retail concession outlets at the cricket club on Chester Le Street, Durham. A bris soleil canopy such as this provides both a practical sun shade and unique attractive design, brightening up an otherwise dull part of the building.
We designed, manufactured and installed the fabric canopy and its associated steel structure and fittings.
in Bristol