TEXTILE & MEMBRANE FACADES Textile and membrane facades as a solution for a broad range of applications can offer a multitude of benefits. These positive factors directly impact a building’s operating cost and level of sustainability as well as improve occupant comfort and well-being.
triangular shaped frame wire rope monorail trolley mechanism connections of the membrane
The main benefits of this kind of facades are energy efficiency, natural ventilation, natural lighting, aesthetics, marketing communications, sun shading and transparency/translucency.
THE MOVING PRINCIPLE The moving principle of this façade is based on a pulley monorail trolley mechanism. The elements that comprise the external layer of the façade are membrane elements/roller blinds that can move up or down on cable guides. A single motor adjusts the movement of the cable guide on which the membrane is attached. The movement of the cable forces also the membrane to move.
ETFE membrane
A facade element scheme
The element consists of an aluminum frame inside which the mechanism for the roller blind is hidden, a monorail trolley mechanism and ETFE membrane layers. The membrane when pushed down is folded in a cylindrical bar. While the membrane is folded up, it can be stabilized in several positions, creating this way some different shapes on the outer shell of the building. An extra shutter has been added to the horizontal frames of the element when they host the folding mechanism, so that it can keep the water, dirt and other objects away from the inside of the frame when the membrane is folded up.
Facade drawing RWE tower, Christoph Ingenhoven