Strictly speaking, nothing particularly new has happened - tents, tents and awnings have been used since time immemorial. But before they were used as mobile and temporary structures, and not on such a scale. Today, huge exhibition pavilions, stadiums and concert halls are being built from fabric …
Architectural textiles are a mesh fabric with a polyester backing that is coated with PVC. The exact formulation of fabric facades is the know-how of the manufacturers. In production, recycled polymeric materials are used, which are also subject to processing in the future, which means they do not pollute the planet and do not require additional costs of natural resources for their production. The woven base is pre-tensioned in the longitudinal and transverse directions before and during the application of the protective coating, which ensures minimal shrinkage and geometric stability of the casing during operation.
PVC does not age under UV light. As a result, the service life of fabric facades is comparable to many traditional facade technologies - from 10 to 50 years. The advantage is ease of installation and the possibility of renewal as physical and mental aging. The lightness of the material (0.6 kg / sq.m) and structures for its installation - less than 5 kg / sq.m, including fasteners, makes it possible to use it in the construction of buildings of any number of storeys. On one of the most important issues - fire safety - textile facades meet the most stringent standards and have a fire resistance class G1. Fabric facades are safe in the event of progressive destruction in emergency situations, which means that they can be used in the construction of facilities where large crowds of people are possible.
The outer canvas carries not only a decorative load - the fabric has become a full-fledged "facing" material, a component of the curtain wall. In addition to it, you can install vapor barrier and windproof membranes and achieve the quality of a ventilated facade.
Often a fabric façade is used as a sunshade over solid glazing. It protects well from glare and overheating, and at the same time, due to its transparency and mesh structure, it does not block the view from the window.
The transparency of the material also allows you to actively use effective lighting from the inside - something that is impossible when using other facade materials.
Color printing can be applied to the fabric: unique designs, photographs, advertisements, special effects. Finally, the fabric façade is an excellent projection screen for video broadcasting.
This malleable, docile material is indispensable for creating the most bizarre sculptural forms or adding "light touches" to brutal architecture.
Fabric facades can be used both in new construction and installed on existing buildings in order to veil nondescript facades or radically change their appearance, for example, during the reconstruction and conversion of industrial, transport, warehouse and commercial buildings.
The most famous company producing such membranes is Serge Ferrari. It offers hundreds of types of architectural textiles for outdoor and indoor use with different properties and functions. The material Stamisol is intended for the facades. In addition, there are also manufacturers of architectural textiles and membranes all over the world: Sauleda, SR Webatex, Mehler Texnologies, Koch Membrane, FabriTec Structures …
