This silicon glass cloth canopy structure formed part of the final stage of construction of the now famous White City Shopping Complex in West London. The scope of works covered design, manufacture and installation of the steelwork, fabric, gutter and nosing.
The client had a requirement for a high level of translucency, previous similar structures in the complex had used a PTFE based cloth which is expensive, particularly when ordered in small quantities. In order to overcome this Base structures sourced a high translucency silicon glass cloth, Atex 3000®, fabricated using special heat welding techniques, and this provided the client with a cost effective solution. At the front of the structure the water capture and collection system is artfully concealed behind a powder coated aluminium nosing, giving the installation a clean finish.
West Drayton Primary School needed a tensile fabric solution for their playground to provide a sheltered play area for the children and a walkway adjacent to the building.
This project consists of a 40 meter long PVC fabric covered architectural walkway structure installed in the school’s playground. Our scope of works included the design, manufacture and installation of the PVC fabric canopy, steelwork and associated fittings. As part of our standard pre-designed range, this walkway canopy is both budget friendly and stylish.
The fabric canopy benefits both the pupils and the building providing a sheltered walkway as well as a shaded outdoor play area.
Trust Thamesmead is a community development agency working to improve the quality of lives of over 30,000 local residents, focusing on the most disadvantaged. After recently being awarded £5 million by the Big Lottery Fund to create a Youth Leisure Zone, the redevelopment of The Southern Arches in Thamesmead began in earnest to create a world-class facility to involve and inspire the local youth with activities including climbing, dance, music and educational courses.
To create a modern and inviting facade to The Southern Arches situated underneath a busy flyover, a 216 metre long stretch of eccentric arches form an undulating wavy ribbon of tensile fabric. Ranging in height from 2 to 5 metres, this decorative wall fabric cladding will be lit from behind and above with coloured LED lights, creating a welcoming warm glow.
The curvaceous forms stand in contrast to the brutal concrete environment, creating a refreshing aesthetic within in the city and superbly illustrating the transformative power of tensile fabric.
Located in the bustling, leafy suburbs of South London, St William of York School has undertaken an upgrade program to improve and extend the facilities available to pupils. With available space being premium, a significant part of this program included the addition of a prefabricated classroom extension, situated on the roof of the school building. A gap between the new roof top extension and the existing brick structure required a simple infill fabric canopy, physically linking the old and new buildings with a translucent and protective ceiling, creating an attractive natural light well over the pupil circulation area.
The 9.5m x 3m fabric canopy takes the form of a shallow barrel vault whose gentle curves allow water to drain away onto the existing roof. The simplicity of the canopy belies the installation challenges that needed to be overcome however; all steelwork and fabric had to be small enough to transport through the school building before being passed through a window to reach the final location.
The tensile fabric canopy now protects both pupils and teachers from the elements while they pass through into their new rooftop classroom.
St George’s Hospital is one of the principle teaching hospitals in England, not only training medical students to the very highest level but also carrying out advanced medical research. With an international reputation for quality of care and cutting-edge treatment, the hospital required an equally dynamic and effective source of shade for patients, staff and students within an internal courtyard garden.
The triangular PVC mesh sails are suspended from a tensioned cable net that is tied into the surrounding building structure. This elegant design enables the fabric sails to float above the garden without adding obstructive steelwork into the oasis of calm. The sails are designed to be easily demountable, allowing them to be removed in the winter without fuss when there is no longer any direct, harsh sunlight and the lack of steelwork means there is no trace of the installation once they are removed.
The garden provides an essential space for relaxation and respite from the stresses of both medical treatment and intensive training. These shade fabric canopies provide vital protection from the sun, greatly extending the use of the garden throughout the summer.
St Christopher’s School in North London needed to extend their very small rooftop into a safe and comfortable area to provide extra valuable play space. Situated in a quiet residential area, there were strict planning conditions for this build which meant all work needed to be carried out in a sensitive nature.
For this project, Base played a part within the design, supply and installation of the two-bay triangular sail mounted on steel arches. Although the fabric area is relatively small, our scope also included the steel work for the canopy and the balustrade and proceeding this, we installed the glazed panels. Timeframes for this project needed to fit in with the schools timetable which meant we had to work closely with the school to co-ordinate the works.
This was a challenging sit for Base, but it has resulted in a dramatic facility for the school and ensures the safety of the children while they play.
Working as a sub contractor to Aura Custom Ltd, Base were responsible for the manufacture and installation of the tensile fabric membranes. To ensure that the fabric panels were a good fit, the steel frame was surveyed after it was fully installed in order to make minor adjustments to the patterns where necessary.
The barrel vault fabric panels are slid into an aluminium luff track extrusion on three sides. The panels are tensioned out by means of threaded studs on the membrane plates, the final tensioning being achieved with the adjustable cable in the pocket on the front edge. Base Structures offer various services to other partners in the tensile fabric industry.
Our brief was to design and install a fabric ceiling system within the museum which would also act as a diffuser for the concealed lighting. It creates a dramatic effect to the interior space and the fabric membrane provides a suitable backdrop for the hanging aircraft display.
We designed, engineered, manufactured and installed the fabric ceiling system for the museum. This includes the fabric, extrusion and fittings. We also fitted a fabric soffit to the building exterior.
The project went very well and has been featured in the architectural press. The new museum space and displays have proved very popular with the public.
The client required a replacement for the ageing existing fabric roof market cover at Portobello Road Market. Our brief was to provide a new canopy, similar to the existing one but incorporating the latest detailing and tensile fabric technology. This structure provides shelter for the shoppers and market traders as well as encouraging the shoppers to the area. We designed, manufactured and installed the new fabric canopy including rigging cables and fittings.
We are very proud to have been involved in this prestigious project. It was a good job to work on and the clean new canopy has dramatically improved the ambience of the market. Our clients Westway Development Trust were very pleased with the new canopy and the market traders and shoppers continue to be able to trade out of the rain!
Situated in the heart of London’s vibrant Shoreditch, the client brief was to create a shaded canopy area within the urban garden to encourage social interaction by the students.
Originally a 3 sided canopy was proposed, but after considering the movement in the fabric, Base suggested developing this idea into a 4 sided hypar canopy. The Mendip 4P 500 was chosen due to it’s distinctive curved masts that would provide a sculptural quality that compliments the high quality landscaping in its surroundings. This creates an inspirational social space as well as presenting a practical solution for the garden in many weather conditions.
With the manufacturing and installation completed smoothly, the canopy now fits in beautifully with it’s surroundings of a living wall, decking and urban garden space. The Mendip 4P 500 easily provides an upbeat and engaging social space or maybe even a study space once freshers is over!
in Bristol
