In many cases it is possible to use a pre-engineered fabric cladding system which can result in cost and programme benefits.
The FACID façade system from Schueco is available in two formats:
FACID 65: Fitted on site by tensioning fabric panels into aluminium extrusions, mounted directly onto the building, or bolted to a lightweight first fix frame.
FACID M3: A panelised system pre-fitted into an aluminium frame in the factory, then fixed to the first fix frame. This system can also be fitted with sliding gear to form external sliding window screens.
Car park cladding header image and right:
Schueco Campus Bielefeld.
Façade concept by Schlattmeier architects in conjunction with 3XN.
Photo: Christian Eblenkamp
Contact us today for our advice on the best facade system to suit you
The use of tensile fabric as a façade material is proving a highly effective solution with many benefits.
Fabric overcladding has an increasing relevance for architects. Not only can it be used on new builds, but has a big role to play in the refurbishment of existing properties.
Replacing a tired, old building is expensive. It can be far more cost effective to overclad with a dynamic new fabric façade that achieves architectural impact and is fast to install.
Fabric mesh was chosen to form an eye-catching wrap around the Ben Ainslie Racing HQ in Portsmouth.
Together with a lightweight first fix steel framing system, the fabric façade puts significantly less loads onto the building compared with some other rain screen systems.
At the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham the whole of the public facing façades were overclad with a combination of backlit giant 3D fabric pyramids and printing graphic panels to the centre, giving it a dramatic facelift and a new lease of life. This was done at a cost considerably less than replacing the existing façade.
There are not only aesthetic benefits but practical ones too. By overcladding a building, you can dramatically improve its environmental performance in terms of heat gain and energy saving, through increased insulation and elimination of glare.
This has been proved at the Ben Ainslie Racing HQ in Portsmouth, where the cladding provides additional insulation and protects the envelope behind from the cooling effect of the wind.
As part of an exciting £4.5 million transformation of Birmingham’s NEC, Base Structures has installed a stunning fabric façade to the exterior of Halls 1…
For flexibility, convinience and striking design
The beauty of a retractable awning system is in the sheer flexibility it offers, at the touch of a button. For restaurants, leisure, retail and events spaces, the challenge is to provide the best possible ambience for the ever demanding customer, while at the same time maximising the available footprint to allow for dependable, revenue generating activities and events.
A tensile retractable fabric roof allows businesses to make the most of their outdoor space, ensuring that customers can enjoy an alfresco experience when the weather allows and protection from rain, wind or even excessive sunshine when it’s needed.
With the desire for more outdoor living, the ability to cover external spaces with the press of a button opens up huge opportunities for the commercial and retail sectors.
For the larger covered areas we offer the En-Fold retractable roof from Uni Systems. This is a proven and robust fabric roof design that deploys down drive beams and can be configured in a wide variety of shapes to suit different footprints.
For smaller sites, or if a modular approach is required, the Italian designed Pratic range offers freestanding units with either a retractable fabric roof or a rotating louvre roof. Both systems can accommodate internal rainwater collection and additional features include integrated vertical blinds, glazed facades and LED lighting.
By loading the video, you agree to YouTube’s privacy policy.
Learn more
Our temporary screening solutions accelerate construction project programmes and keep sites safe.
If you are carrying out extensive construction site works or a refit, our Base Screens significantly improve your project programme, by removing the need for traditional cladding from the critical path.
These fully weatherproof engineered screening solutions are bespoke to your requirements and can fit to the existing structure you are working on.
With robust waterproofing and wind sheltering you can allow construction works to progress even in turbulent weather conditions and negate building programme delays.
The fabric weatherproof screening also provides privacy, covering areas you might want to protect from the general public – either to keep people away for their safety or maybe you are not yet ready to launch.
We recognise that when projects change quickly, flexible solutions are key. Covered scaffolding and traditional hoardings can be labour intensive and difficult to move. Temporary fabric screening is versatile and opens up more options.
Engineered fabric screening saves you time and therefore money. We’ve worked with contractors who swear by its performance, enabling them to fast-track construction works, fit outs and renovations and allows them to remove cladding from the critical path saving time and money.
Using temporary screening on site is a great way to ensure no matter what happens, your construction project can continue despite what weather or programme…
Construction projects can be complex affairs, with many different teams converging on small, often tight spaces to carry out the necessary work in time. Alongside…
From the Olympic Games to pop up bars, we have created temporary structures that are designed to impress.
A successful temporary structure not only requires a good looking design, but also a sound structure that is practical to build and demount.
Fabric is ideal for events, as it is light to transport and fast to install. Add in the option for high definition printing and the whole structure can be easily branded.
When it comes to creating bespoke temporary fabric structures for events and performance stages, whether it’s at a huge festival such as Glastonbury or a small local event in the community, we have the experience you need.
Not only do we offer to design and manufacture the complete structure, we can supply a crew to tour it internationally. Our structure for Bach Concert Hall structure for Zaha Hadid Architect took us from Manchester to Abu Dhabi and back to Holland.
We can also offer pop up venues combining converted containers with integrated shading, provided by tensile sails.
Talk to us about your ideas!
We are skilled in helping you create engaging, interactive, decorative experiences and provide city dressing services for outdoor and public spaces.
The way people are using our municipal spaces is changing. With the advent of online shopping and changing recreational habits, we understand the need to diversify town centres, re-purpose buildings, retail and shopping districts and outdoor urban and public spaces into creative, experience-led environments and destinations, offering far more than the traditional shopping experience.
City dressing is a form of town regeneration that can dramatically change and improve urban spaces. From pop-up parks to destination led experiences, city dressing aims to increase time spent in our town centres and add value and viability where conventional, large high street stores are no longer relevant.
Making our cities and town centres attractive is good for the community, local morale and the success of small-scale businesses in the area. We understand the need to engage with the right people early on and are committed to working with you from the word go to add extra creativity to your city decoration, town regeneration or city dressing project.
Through increased use of parklets, town square regeneration and spaces developed for use by the community, we can help guide your project from conception to delivery. More than ever, in light of the recent pandemic, we are aware of the need to ensure recreation and municipal spaces work for the benefit of everyone.
City dressing and public space design addresses this by sensitively designing areas that can be used in a number of different ways. Whether by providing extra seating and rest areas, or providing charging points and bicycle racks to ensure people are moving away from their cars and travelling in a more sustainable way.
Pre designed canopies can be a great option for smaller budgets or tighter spaces, and we are able to design and install these, with our canopy experts guiding you through the process. We use modern design and construction methods. Our knowledge of tensile fabric systems also means that we can be trusted to choose the right materials and methods to ensure longevity and sturdiness.
We can also work with you to supply floor graphics, suspended artworks and outdoor seating areas, as well as all the necessary provisions for social distancing to allow people to feel welcomed back into shared municipal town and city spaces.
With our expertise and knowledge of working at height we are well placed to design, construct, supply and install any manner of street or city decoration. We have many years experience working safely in public spaces such as galleries, museums, shopping centres and sports grounds to name just a few, and of liaising with town planners, councils and facility management professionals to get the best out of any municipal space construction or renovation.
Our technical know-how will also help you to get the project off the ground. We are a safe pair of hands to work with your design team to realise their concept in a pragmatic and cost effective way.
Contact us today to discuss how we can help you get your town decoration or city dressing project off to a strong start.
We are really excited to announce a collaboration and to introduce a new range of outdoor solutions for socialising this summer in our towns, high…
Town squares are traditionally areas of congregation and meeting. As places of trade and business, and to historically provide vital space for local markets, town…
The way the high street looks has been altering for many years, and in particular with COVID, the rise of online shopping and altering fashions,…
Creating a secure yet open feel, our architectural mesh structures make the ideal aviary enclosure.
From Flamingos to Macques, Bali Starlings to Aboreal ducks, our unique aviary net structures create an almost invisible barrier – bringing visitors even closer to the animals. Base has designed, sourced and installed a wide range of bespoke net structures for zoo enclosures across Europe.
When it comes to service, our team of specialists handle the entire project from concept to completion, including both steel erection and mesh installation (including rope access). With all skills under one roof, we offer a service that’s high quality and cost-effective. Plus, because you’re dealing with one company rather than a range of suppliers, you gain a more simplified and rapid service, ensuring your mesh structure is delivered to your budget and timescales.
We’d love to hear from you. Fill out the form below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Our mesh zoo structures offer the perfect wildlife and animal enclosures for zoos and conservation areas. We have unrivalled specialist experience in building bespoke animal enclosures tailored to each species and environment.
From snow leopard enclosures, Sumatran tigers, to orangutans, howler monkeys and other species like otters, ferrets and raccoons, we’ve designed, sourced and built a number of landmark bespoke net and mesh zoo structures and animal enclosures across the UK and Europe.
High-tech architectural mesh is used to create a robust zoo structure that maintains its strength when tested or put under load, and can equally withstand the worst of weather and wind conditions.
Our team have extensive expertise about the behaviours of different animals and have worked with many animal specialists to understand the requirements for each different type of animal habitat and enclosure to keep the animals and the public safe.
Our zoo structures create an open feel at the same time as providing the safety, security and peace of mind you need when creating the perfect animal enclosure.
Providing a nearly invisible barrier, our mesh zoo structures can also significantly enhance visitor experience by allowing the maximum opportunity for seeing the animals in their built environments and surroundings.
Over the years we have developed an extensive amount of in-house specialist knowledge around the habitat requirements for different animals and challenges faced by zoos. We always work closely with the zoo’s team and other animal specialists to find enclosure solutions that prioritise the well-being of the animals, maximise the space within the constraints, and that meet zoo’s requirements.
Additionally, native British wildlife needs to be protected from cross contamination of captive animals. Base Structures can discuss and advise you on the various options to manage these challenges and create zoo structures and animal enclosures to meet the requirements of each species.
We have a large amount of experience in designing and organising the right zoo structure for you. We know that no one will know their animals better than you, and working with our team of specialists, we can handle your entire project from concept to completion, taking into account both the initial steel construction and the installation of the mesh itself. We are highly qualified and experienced in rope access and working at height too, so you can be assured of being in a safe pair of hands from beginning to end.
Not only do you get our expert team at your disposal, but we can also offer the added benefits of having all our animal enclosure knowledge under one roof, meaning you don’t have to deal with a range of suppliers. From the simplification of costs to the benefit of having one point of contact, we can ensure your project runs smoothly and your zoo structures are delivered to appropriate budgets and timescales.
We’d love to hear from you. Fill out the form below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
For our clients who run and manage zoos, animal welfare is their top priority. Most zoos exist as an opportunity not just for the public…
Over the years, canopy fabric technology has improved dramatically, and although in most cases our pre-designed canopies or bespoke systems will still be doing their…
One of our key environmental objectives is zero waste to landfill. When working on the early stages of a fabric structure, this is a key…
Designing animal enclosures is not a simple process. Here at Base Structures, we have years of experience and knowledge to deliver world class structures for both Zoological and Wildlife organizations.
Our zoo structures include animal enclosures, aviaries and a wide range of bespoke canopies.
We understand each zoo will know their animals better than anyone else. That’s why we work with you to create the right bespoke solution.
To design and build successful zoo enclosures and structures requires expert knowledge and a strong understanding of the rigorous safety requirements, animal behaviours and of the different types of mesh and fabrics to suit.
Products to fit your needs
It takes dedication and an ability to listen and understand exactly what the client needs. We work with our clients to maximise the animals living space and spectator viewing capability, whilst maintaining safety of the staff and public.
For our clients who run and manage zoos, animal welfare is their top priority. Most zoos exist as an opportunity not just for the public…
We design and build tensile fabric structures, helping architects around the globe create iconic architectural fabric buildings that define a space, from bespoke fabric canopies, translucent stadium roofs and curvaceous walkways to striking indoor fabric structures that make a statement.
For architects, tensile fabric provides the opportunity to add drama and curvature to their buildings in an easy and cost effective way. No other building material has the ability to span large distances, allow light through and take a double curved form.
We have been working with designers creating exciting bespoke fabric structures across all sectors whether outdoor or indoor we can adapt our approach to suit the required surroundings.
But it’s not all about appearance. Fabric structures can be used in all sorts of ways to provide protection from the elements. This applies not only to improving the outdoor experience for people but can also be used to enhance the environmental performance of the building.
And far from being an expensive option, tensile fabric is considerably cheaper than toughened and laminated glass, and can even be more cost effective than polycarbonate.
Fabric comes in a range of translucencies and colours as well as being available in a mesh form. Different types of technical fabric are available, each with its own merits as outlined in our tensile guide.
Base Structures can help you realise your bespoke tensile fabric structure design concept, using our knowledge of fabrics and structural know how.
The vast range of fabrics that can be used indoors, opens up exciting and creative possibilities for creating eye catching ceilings, wall claddings, or sculptural features for atriums, foyers, reception areas and large communal spaces.
The ability of fabric to span across wide areas with the minimum of structure, means that light weight linings can be used for walls and ceilings in large interior spaces. Add to that the ability to introduce curvature, back lighting and print and we can create some amazing effects.
Framed systems can also be suitable especially for retail applications where flexibility and speed of installation are essential.
From creating extraordinary interior architectural fabric structures, such as the Louis Vuitton flagship Beverly Hills Rodeo Drive store (pictured here), O2 Sponsors Lounge, and the Atrium blinds at the Healthy Living Centre, to producing more conventional installations, such as fabric canopies for point-of-sale or exhibition displays, our versatile skill-set means we can realise any interior installation. Innovation is at the heart of everything we do.
in Bristol