Denver Union Station, Colorado, USA, features a tensile fabric canopy engineered and produced by Structureflex. The roof consists of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coated glass fibre, combined with a single layer of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) film. Sunlight is filtered to allow daylight to pass through the weatherproof canopy without the accompanying heat. Image Structureflex.
Relevant materials
Fluoropolymer, PTFE, Fluoropolymer, Polytetrafluoroethylene Fluoropolymer, ETFE, Cofluoropolymer, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene
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Architecture, Coated fabric, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), Film, Fluoropolymer, High temperature thermoplastic, Laminated, Membrane, Plastic, Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Public, Structureflex, Technical textile, Tensile structure, Weave
The transparent roof structure of Charles de Gaulle Platz, Cologne, is fabricated from transparent ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) fluoropolymer. It is made up of two layers, supported by high tensile steel cable, sandwiching a large air-filled cavity.
Relevant materials
Fluoropolymer, ETFE, Cofluoropolymer, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene Carbon steel, 1060-1099, High carbon
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Architecture, Construction, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), Fluoropolymer, Plastic, Public, Transparent
The translucent roof structure of Gatwick Airport station concourse, is fabricated from transparent ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) fluoropolymer. It is made up of two layers, sandwiching a large air-filled cavity.
Relevant materials
Fluoropolymer, ETFE, Cofluoropolymer, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene
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Airport, Architecture, Construction, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), Fluoropolymer, Plastic, Public, Transparent
Westlake Girls High School on Auckland, New Zealand’s North Shore, designed by architects Creative Spaces. To achieve the architects' vision of mixed natural light and shade, Structureflex produced an innovate tensile membrane that combines coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyester, fabric with transparent ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) film. Image Structurflex.
Relevant materials
Fluoropolymer, ETFE, Cofluoropolymer, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene Polyester fibre, PET, Fibre, Polyethylene terephthalate Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), PVC-leather, Artificial leather, Vinyl, pleather, leatherette
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"Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Architecture, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), Film, Fluoropolymer, Membrane, Plastic, Polyester fibre, Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Structureflex, Technical textile, Tensile structure, Weave
Westlake Girls High School on Auckland, New Zealand’s North Shore, designed by architects Creative Spaces. To achieve the architects' vision of mixed natural light and shade, Structureflex produced an innovate tensile membrane that combines coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyester, fabric with transparent ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) film. Image Structurflex.
Relevant materials
Fluoropolymer, ETFE, Cofluoropolymer, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene Polyester fibre, PET, Fibre, Polyethylene terephthalate Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), PVC-leather, Artificial leather, Vinyl, pleather, leatherette
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"Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Architecture, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), Film, Fluoropolymer, Membrane, Plastic, Polyester fibre, Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Structureflex, Technical textile, Tensile structure, Weave
Botany town centre, Auckland, New Zealand, by Ignite Architects, 2019. The transparent ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) roof, produced by Vector Foiltec, is supported by curved Radiata pine glulam engineered wood beams. Image Vector Foiltec.
Relevant materials
Fluoropolymer, ETFE, Cofluoropolymer, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene Pine, GLT, glulam, Engineered wood, Glued laminated timber
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Architecture, Cladding, Engineered wood, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), Film, Fluoropolymer, Glulam, Membrane, Pine, Plastic, Public, Technical textile, Tensile structure, Transparent, Vector Foiltec, Wood
Aarau Bus terminal and station square, Switzerland, by Vehovar & Jauslin Architektur, 2014. Manufactured by Vector Foiltec, the 1,055 sqm bubble is fabricated as a single structure from printed ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), inflated with air. The ETFE structure is supported within a steel framework and secured between stainless steel cables. Image Vector Foiltec, Andreas Braun.
Relevant materials
Fluoropolymer, ETFE, Cofluoropolymer, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene Carbon steel, 1004-1030, Low carbon, Mild steel Stainless steel, 316, Austenitic stainless steel
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Architecture, Cable, Cladding, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), Film, Fluoropolymer, Membrane, Print, Public, Technical textile, Tensile structure, Transparent, Vector Foiltec
Aarau Bus terminal and station square, Switzerland, by Vehovar & Jauslin Architektur, 2014. Manufactured by Vector Foiltec, the 1,055 sqm bubble is fabricated as a single structure from printed ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), inflated with air. The ETFE structure is supported within a steel framework and secured between stainless steel cables. Image Vector Foiltec, Andreas Braun.
Relevant materials
Fluoropolymer, ETFE, Cofluoropolymer, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene Carbon steel, 1004-1030, Low carbon, Mild steel Stainless steel, 316, Austenitic stainless steel
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Architecture, Cable, Cladding, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), Film, Fluoropolymer, Membrane, Print, Public, Technical textile, Tensile structure, Transparent, Vector Foiltec
The Shed’s Bloomberg Building at Hudson Yards, New York, by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Rockwell Group, 2019. The welded air-filled ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) bubbles, manufactured by Vector Foiltec, create a lightweight insulated structure. The shell, known as McCourt, moves on rails driven by giant wheels and doubles the usable indoor space of the building. The unique colour effect comes from a combination of a printed pattern on the top layer, a white middle layer with 29% opacity, and a transparent bottom layer. Image Vector Foiltec, Timothy Schenck.
Relevant materials
Fluoropolymer, ETFE, Cofluoropolymer, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene
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Architecture, Cladding, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), Film, Fluoropolymer, Membrane, Plastic, Public, Technical textile, Tensile structure, Transparent, Vector Foiltec
Pavilion Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, by KL Pavilion Design Studio Sdn Bhd, Konzepte + CGNA Sdn Bhd, 2021. The mega canopy, manufactured by Vector Foiltec, is 125 m long, 115 m wide and clad with 34 two-layer ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) cushions. Each cushion is 3.2 m wide and supported by a steel structure. Image Vector Foiltec, KL Interior Photography.
Relevant materials
Fluoropolymer, ETFE, Cofluoropolymer, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene
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Architecture, Cladding, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), Film, Fluoropolymer, Membrane, Plastic, Public, Technical textile, Tensile structure, Transparent, Vector Foiltec
Eden Project, Cornwall, UK, designed by Grimshaw Architects and completed 2001. Produced by Vector Foiltec, each bubble consists of layers of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), welded around the perimeter to trap a layer of insulating air within. ETFE was selected for the transparent envelope, because it enabled an extremely lightweight and efficient structure. The film allows a high level of light transmission, is extremely resistant to UV and weathering, self-cleaning due to its low surface energy, and can tolerate abrasion from grit in the wind. Image Vector Foiltec.
Relevant materials
Fluoropolymer, ETFE, Cofluoropolymer, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene
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Architecture, Cladding, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), Film, Fluoropolymer, Grimshaw Architects, Insulation, Membrane, Plastic, Public, Technical textile, Tensile structure, Transparent, Vector Foiltec
Water Cube (Beijing National Aquatics Centre) by PTW Architects, constructed to host the aquatics competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. It consists of a steel space frame, clad with cushions made up of welded ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), produced by Vector Foiltec. The ETFE pillows allow more light and heat penetration than traditional glass, which resulted in a 30% decrease in energy costs. Images Vector Foiltec.
Relevant materials
Fluoropolymer, ETFE, Cofluoropolymer, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene
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Architecture, Cladding, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), Film, Fluoropolymer, Insulation, Membrane, PTW Architects, Public, Technical textile, Tensile structure, Transparent, Vector Foiltec
The translucent membrane spanning the ceiling at Heathrow Terminal 2, UK, by Luis Vidal Architects, completed 2014, is made from ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) produced by Taiyo Europe (evening LED back-lighting). A membrane like this is much lighter and consumes significantly less material than a solid ceiling structure.
Relevant materials
Fluoropolymer, ETFE, Cofluoropolymer, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene
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Architecture, Cladding, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), Film, Fluoropolymer, Interior, Lighting, Luis Vidal Architects, Membrane, Plastic, Public, Taiyo, Technical textile, Tensile structure
The translucent membrane spanning the ceiling at Heathrow Terminal 2, UK, by Luis Vidal Architects, completed 2014, is made from ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) produced by Taiyo Europe (daylight). A membrane like this is much lighter and consumes significantly less material than a solid ceiling structure.
Relevant materials
Fluoropolymer, ETFE, Cofluoropolymer, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene
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Architecture, Cladding, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), Film, Fluoropolymer, Interior, Lighting, Luis Vidal Architects, Membrane, Plastic, Public, Taiyo, Technical textile, Tensile structure
Fuerzabruta performing on a transparent, welded ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) membrane suspended above the audience in the Roundhouse, London. ETFE foil is self-cleaning (as long as water is present), and weighs around 0.5 kg/m2. For comparison, 10 mm laminated glass would be around 25 kg/m2.
Relevant materials
Fluoropolymer, ETFE, Cofluoropolymer, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene
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Architecture, Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), Film, Fluoropolymer, Plastic, Plastic weld, Technical textile, Transparent