THE CHALLENGE – CREATE OASES OF SHADE ALONG ABU DHABI’S FAMOUS FORESHORE
The Abu Dhabi Corniche is a beautiful boulevard that winds its way around the city’s coastal edge. It features parkland, gardens, world-class hotels and fabulous restaurants. The deep blue Persian Gulf provides the ultimate backdrop. To really enjoy the Corniche, locals and visitors require oases of shade – the Arabian sun is relentless.
THE SOLUTION – SLEEK TENSILE MEMBRANE STRUCTURES THAT PAY HOMAGE TO ARABIAN DESIGN
The architect for this project recognized that shade canopies for the Corniche would need to incorporate Arabic design cues, to maintain the city’s connection to its culture. Structurflex helped the architect to realize his vision. A concept drawing was given to our design team, who then worked closely with the architect on final detailing to insure the unconventional design could be brought to life. Structurflex managed the design process, manufacture of the membrane, and supply of the cables and fittings. The resulting structures offer UV protection and shade from the sun, while still allowing the penetration of soft, natural light. After dark, illumination within the structure brings night-time glamour to the Corniche.
The five-story, 60’s era West Hills Medical Office Building in Los Angeles was due for an exterior facelift. A complete exterior renovation by Michael W. Folonis Architects revealed that water infiltration had caused structural damage to the existing horizontal plaster awnings; removing them was a costly process that consumed much of the project budget. This […]
KieranTimberlake: Printed Tensile Cladding at Rice UniversityWe are pleased to have collaborated with KieranTimberlake and the outfit of a parking structure on the Rice University Campus. In their blog post, they describe the concepts they employed to create an iconic sculptural element. For more details see the KieranTimberlake blog post.
