What are Tensile Structures?

Tensile fabric is a highly versatile material that can be manipulated to create dramatic and bespoke tensile fabric structures and canopies.

Characterised by the tensioning of a fabric membrane, usually with wire or cable, tensile fabric structures deliver stylish and durable coverings for covering any space, indoor or outdoor. All tensile fabric structures are built from the principles of three designs shapes: the cone, hypar and the barrel. Tensioning the fabric to the structure then provides the membrane with the critical structural support required to cope with wind lift and snow load.

Learn more in our ultimate guide to tensile fabric structures >

What Fabrics are used in Tensile Fabric Structures

They can be designed and built from many fabrics including:

  • PVC coated polyester
  • PTFE coated glass cloth
  • Shade cloth
  • Silicon Glass/Tenara

Depending on the fabric chosen, there is also the scope to explore a range of translucencies and colours giving you many options to choose from.

Being both lightweight and flexible, tensile fabric structures are highly translucent and UV resistant with the capacity to span large distances, with wide column free areas – a brilliant choice to accommodate large groups of people either indoors or out, depending on your preferences.

Read more: Our approach to tensile structures >

Bespoke Tensile Structures

Bespoke fabric structures can be designed to fit any design or environment. They are commonly used as entrance canopies, fabric walkways, school canopies, outdoor classrooms, event structures, stage canopies, stadium roofs, and bandstands to name but a few!

For architects, a tensile fabric structure creates a dramatic structural form to deliver maximum impact. The bespoke canopy for the new Living Wetland Amphitheatre at Slimbridge WWT epitomises this. Not all structures have to be eye catching showpieces. Often the primary requirement is to provide shelter from the elements in an effective and durable manner.

The fabric roof we designed, manufactured and installed for Arcola Theatre was designed to fulfil a very specific need which was to allow their theatre to keep functioning through the COVID-19 restrictions. It is a highly functional, traditional conic fabric canopy designed to shelter the public from the elements in the new designed covered event space, Arcola Outside.

Learn more about our project at Slimbridge >

All our tensile structures are designed as bespoke pieces in close liaison with our clients, architects, and contractors. No project or brief is ever the same. In some cases, we work from very resolved documents and architect’s designs, yet in other cases, designs are determined from a collaborative process in conjunction with our clients – however you want it, we can do it.

Get in touch with our team today to learn more about Tensile Fabric Structures >

Our Promise

Whatever stage the project reaches us, our team are highly experienced in design, engineering and have decades of expertise to ensure only the very best ideas, materials and work ethic. This is combined and put forward to create innovative and effective tensile fabric structures that deliver on quality design and function, every time.

Learn more about ARC Structures >

 

ARC Structure’s Guarantee

All our structures are engineered to current British standards and are designed and manufactured here in the UK.

Every tensile structure we build comes with a warranty on the fabric and structure, as well as maintenance guidelines. We regularly work with facilities managers to take out an ongoing maintenance contract for extra piece of mind.

Don’t hesitate to get in contact with one of our friendly team or call 01275 882107 to get the ball rolling.

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Neilston Learning Campus

Shade sails created covered seating area, providing some shade in the outdoor learning and eating area

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King George Hospital

A covered walkway for the King George Hospital, between the existing Juniper Endoscopy Unit and the new Decontamination Unit

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Silverstone

Silverstone circuit in Northamptonshire has been home to the British Grand Prix since 1948.

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