Overview: ORION Barrel Vault™
ORION Barrel Vault™ tensile fabric structures use clever engineering to create clear span covered space; a versatile design that is installed over such areas as sports courts, swimming pools and aircraft hangars. Other potential applications include canopies and walkways for education, providing additional dining space for schools, outdoor classrooms and outdoor dining shelters. Lower canopy edges provide excellent weather protection and a high centre line accommodates sports clearances. The tensioned fabric membrane cover lets in natural ambient light whileblocking harmful UV rays and glare, which can be particularly beneficial when used as canopies for schools and sports facilities.
The flexible design aesthetic and distinctive elegant form of a tensile structure results from the characteristics unique to membrane tension. In daylight, fabric membrane translucency provides diffused, naturally lit spaces, while at night, artificial lighting can be used to create an ambient exterior luminescence. The lightweight nature of tensile membrane design requires less structural steel compared with conventional roof coverings, enabling clear spans of column-free space.
The durability and longevity of tensile membrane design is well proven with canopy structures installed in climates ranging from arctic cold to scorching desert heat. ORION™ fabric membrane manufacture complies with all relevant national regulations for fire resistance. ORION™ tensile structures use a PVC-based architectural fabric manufactured with a PVDF self-cleaning top lacquering layer. These advanced fabrics have a lifespan equal to alternative covering materials with a 25-year design life, covered by a manufacturer-backed warranty for up to 10 years dependent on specification.
Learn more about FTO SERIES Architectural PVC for ORION Canopies.