FabriTec Structures is the industry leader in tensile membrane architecture. However, as many of our clients have learned, FabriTec Structures is more than a fabric structure contractor. Through our partnership with our parent company PFEIFER, a 440-year-old industry staple in cable and rope systems, our capabilities in engineering and innovation have multiplied exponentially. Our extensive design engineering and steel fabrication services have enabled us to expand our product offerings to include:
- Complex cable structures and cable and tension rod members
- Vertical façade cladding solutions using printable fabrics or mesh, clear ETFE, and metal mesh
- Semi-custom kinetic or retractable structures
Cable Structures and Cable and Tension Rod Members
Thanks to our parent company PFEIFER, we have inherited an increased capability in creating structures utilizing cables. Cable and tension rod members are a fundamental component of lightweight structures like pedestrian bridges. They can also be featured prominently as a cable tension structure, such as at the Dwight D Eisenhower Memorial. Whether as an essential component of a lightweight structure or as a comprehensive lightweight cable tension structure, we will design and engineer a solution for your vision. For example, in addition to building the world’s largest ETFE roof at SoFi Stadium, FabriTec and PFEIFER also designed, engineered, supplied, and installed the world’s largest cable-net structure to support its roof.
Tensile Facades
A textile or fabric mesh façade cladding from FabriTec can completely transform a structure’s appearance. An otherwise bland or dated looking structure, such as a concrete parking garage, can become an architectural feature by applying a secondary façade. You can print graphics onto fabric membranes or use a combination of cables, mesh fabrics, and LED lights to add a unique finish to a building. At Allianz Field in Saint Paul, MN, FabriTec fabricated and installed a 93,000 square foot tensile façade made from woven fiberglass laminated with PTFE. Under sunlight, the fabric reflects sunlight and appears metallic. At night, however, the LEDs beneath the membrane come to life, illuminating the structure. A secondary façade can also absorb direct sunlight and UV light, reducing the solar energy gain of the structure, which reduces energy costs. Due to the semi-transparency of many of our tensile façade materials and designs, outward visibility can still be achieved.
Kinetic Structures
The future of lightweight architecture is trending towards kinetic or retractable structures. Through extensive R&D with our partners at PFEIFER Systems, we are developing incredible retractable fabric structures to provide a dynamic functional weather solution. Kinetic structures dynamically transform public spaces, providing shelter during inclement weather or providing shade during sunlight hours and allowing a full open-air experience when fully retracted. These retractable structures can be featured as small canopy structures, large pavilions, or part of a stadium’s roof. 46 of the 302 ETFE panels that make up the roof of SoFi Stadium are kinetic, allowing air to circulate in the stadium during the famously beautiful southern California weather and close during rain, as can be seen in the video below.
Fabric Membrane Structures
We are still the global leader in the design and engineering of fabric structures. Our clients collaborate with us to build progressive and iconic architectural projects. We’ve built the largest ETFE structures globally at SoFi Stadium and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. We’ve used PTFE to create extraordinary tensile structures like the ASU SkySong Innovation Center canopy and the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion fabric amphitheater. We’ve even made stunning structures at Arvest Ballpark and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport using a cost-effective fabric in PVC.
At FabriTec Structures, in conjunction with PFEIFER, we are ready to attack any challenge. Whether putting a roof on a stadium, giving shade and weather protection to a public location, or re-imagining a structure with a façade, our award-winning team of designers and engineers will ensure you receive the best solution possible for your architectural needs.
