Tensile architecture

Amid the spatial constraints of a recreational campus, Funktion Design was tasked with an unusual challenge: to extend the dining capacity of the Rajamahal Vilas Club by designing a semi-open restaurant deck directly above its existing swimming pool. The result is a structurally expressive, curved pavilion that merges seamlessly into the natural surroundings, all while navigating tight timelines, engineering complexities, and site limitations. Nihal Ramesh This project explores tensile roof systems, drawing inspiration from the celebrated German architect-engineer Frei Otto, whose work on the Munich Olympic Stadium defined a generation of lightweight, tensile architecture. The spirit of structural minimalism and engineering clarity be... More

The original plans were created by the client (Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, architect Ridha Haraket). During the final phase of the planning process, architect Amandus VanQuaille and Prof. ir. M. Mollaert were giving advice regarding typical elements of membrane architecture and engineering.All the nodes of the metal structure are conceived as free rotating 3D hinges. In fact, the complete metal structure can be seen as a freestanding grid shell, consisting of triangular elements. Caption Although this structure is a 3D grid shell, it nevertheless looks like a ‘classic’ structure with vertical walls and a roof structure. The translucent membrane is tensioned as a free membrane over the metal structure, sust... More

This sail sculpture, designed by architect Amandus Vanquaille, was designed for a specific military building dating 1862. The typical architecture of that time does not allow any access to the inner courtyard (called the ‘reduit’ in military terms). The widest entrance was 98cm. At the outside there are moats, ramparts, ditches and fortifications, all built to protect the inner courtyard from intrusion. But how to build a roof over this large courtyard, if anyone can access with building materials or cranes? The answer is simple: making a flexible roof that one can carry in, like a large worm, through the inner corridors and through the narrow porches. The complete membrane roof exists of 8 parts (8 separate vaults) each small enough to be... More

ContextGooik is mentioned as belonging to the Abbey of Saint Gertrudus as from the 9th century. The church of Gooik is a registered building. In front of the church the parking space is in fact the centre of the village, which had in previous times a much more prominent meaning in the settlement. With input from the inhabitants a reconversion was planned.VisionIt was the aim that this central location of Gooik should have again its prominent role in the life of the community: covering friends and families at weddings when accessing the church, allowing the emplacement and linking the individual market stalls during the annual market, sheltering the benches, designed for this location, to allow the villagers to sit and talk together…It was t... More

Nomad Concept is a design office that specialises in architectural sails and shade technology and has meanwhile developed into the benchmark for tensile structures and architectural sails. Both at home and abroad, Nomad Concept built up a solid reputation with its ultralight, translucent sails, inspired by Tibetan nomadic tents. Here we give some examples of sails covering public spaces in parks or squares. In al those examples, the covered space can be used by the public for barbeques, festivities, weddings or simply gatherings of the youth. Is there anything more beautiful than a free covered place in a nice park that people can reserve for their wedding? Is there anything more nice than a free place you can reserve for your family p... More

The graceful sails created by The Nomad Concept (Belgium) fit into almost any environment, from the intimate atmosphere of a private garden to the more pragmatical character of offices, public projects or events.Whether the aim is mainly to create shade or to provide protection from rain or to create a secluded area away from the world, architect Amandus VanQuaille always looks for a solution with high artistic value. The sails are used as an entrance canopy, smoking areas or outdoor dining area, cover of a terrace etc... MaterialsThe architectural sails are made of high-quality, innovative materials, with every detail being literally worked out to perfection. The masts are made of anodised aluminium, stainless steel or standardis... More

The graceful sails created by The Nomad Concept (Belgium) fit into almost any environment, from the intimate atmosphere of a private garden to the more public character of offices, public projects or events.Whether the aim is mainly to create shade or to provide protection from rain or to create a secluded area away from the world, architect Amandus VanQuaille always looks for a solution with high artistic value. MaterialsThe architectural sails are made of high-quality, innovative materials, with every detail being literally worked out to perfection.  The masts are made of anodised aluminium, stainless steel or standardised wood. The cables and cable parts (tensioners, bolts, nuts) are made of standardised stainless steel, of the... More

Flying high – with spread wings - above the blue coral sea of Curacao and the colorful cityscape of Willemstad…This architectural sail is a celebration of the ecstatic life of Curacao combined with the serenity of family life on the roof terrace. This fabric sculpture covers an open air kitchen and dining place on the roof . The contemporary apartment is set amidst a historical part of Willemstad, dating from the 18th colonial century.The form and the fabric is designed and engineered to withstand the extremely harsh wind and UV-light conditions of the island. It is built to stand for decades. More

Besides the big conglomerations a satellite is only able to see the Chinese Wall as single building – in this sense the structure of the PVC membrane shading system in Milano competes with a thousands of years old structure on the other side of the world. Mehler Texnologies provided the material for the huge sun shading systems of the Expo 2015 paths. In ancient Rome, the main street that crossed the village from East to West was called “Decumano” and the perpendicular street from North to South was called “Cardo”. These are also the names of the two main walkways of the Expo exhibition area. As Milan gets quite hot during summer the designers of the Expo area decided to cover the two axes in a way that the old Romans would certainly h... More