str.ucture | Project Convertible Membrane Roof

Convertible Membrane Roof

Buchs, CH

Client

Alliva AG

Architecture

Kugel Architekten

Image credits

Bernd Goellnitz, Kugel Architekten, str.ucture

Scope

Structural design all phases

Materials

PTFE

Height

6 m

Planning period

2014

Completion

2014

The foldable membrane roof extends over a 50-meter-long alley in the heart of the town of Buchs.

When stretched, the roof cladding has a very spatial, undulating geometry. The textile fabric is stretched between arched ridge and valley chords, forming a sequence of dynamic elements with an average height of 6.50m above street level. The folded membrane is placed at the northern end under a canopy that forms a gateway to Metzgergasse between the buildings. During the drive-up, the membrane is also spatially prestressed against wind loads in the transverse direction. The decisive wind loads for the roof construction were specially determined in wind tunnel tests. The membrane was made from a PTFE fabric that meets the highest visual and quality requirements.