Current Situation and Solution: Design of Office Walkway Canopy with Tensioned Canvas – Case Study of United Nations Porte Cochere
In the modern urban context, office buildings, especially the headquarters of international organizations, require a solution for covering walkways that not only ensures protection from the weather but is also flexible, space-optimized and environmentally friendly. The tensioned canvas office walkway cover, typically the Temporary Stage (Porte Cochere) at the United Nations campus in New York City, designed by FTL Design Engineering Studio, is a clear demonstration of this solution. The structure acts as an entry pavilion and security screen for delegates, and is envisioned as a removable structure, demonstrating sustainability in design.
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Technical Requirements Analysis & Solution Context
The five-year project to renovate historic United Nations buildings required temporary structures that had minimal environmental impact and high sustainability. An office walkway canopy in this context needed to not only provide effective cover for motorcades loading and unloading, but also provide natural ventilation for idling vehicles. In addition, the design had to be flexible enough to be relocated, minimizing resource waste and impact on the construction site, while maintaining an aesthetic harmony with the existing landscape.
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Technical Solutions
The spiral office walkway canopy solution at the United Nations Headquarters was designed based on the principles of lightness, minimal material and the ability to recycle the entire structure. Technical details include:
Design and construction principles
The design explores lightness as a visual, physical and sustainable approach, using minimal materials to reduce environmental impact. Inspired by the surrounding landscape, the canopy is nestled within the site using the contours of the site as a visual buffer. The spiraling canopies follow the length of the roadway, gently emerging from the main building. Porte Cochere was developed to have minimal anchoring points and be modular, using prefabricated steel trusses that allowed for rapid installation, minimizing the impact of construction crews on site. Relocatability was a key consideration, allowing the structure to be moved to another location upon completion of the renovation, or reused entirely.
Materials and functions of tarpaulin
The function of the high-tech textile membrane in this office walkway canopy is twofold: it provides support as a tensile element, evenly distributing the structural load, while also reducing sunlight to allow natural lighting to the space below. The structure uses two types of fabric: Teflon-coated glass fabric as the main fabric, providing high durability and weather resistance; and silicone-coated glass fabric to create a more translucent canopy, allowing better light control. Functionally, the canopy provides shelter for motorcades and ensures ventilation for idling vehicles inside through open facades and linear vents running the length of the truss, allowing fresh air to circulate freely throughout the surrounding area.
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Results and Performance Evaluation
The UN Office Canopy solution proved highly effective in meeting the technical and sustainability requirements of the project. The portability of the Porte Cochere not only addressed concerns about environmental impact and sustainability, but also demonstrated a pioneering design concept. The use of prefabricated steel trusses and rapid installation significantly reduced on-site construction time and costs. Aesthetically, the structure provides an elegant counterpoint to the existing architectural elements, while also suggesting ideas about the future development of the UN and its mission. It is a temporary addition to the site’s rich history, speaking not only to the present but also to the possibilities that humanity can achieve.
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Contact Technical Consulting
Flexiiform is proud to be one of the leading units in Vietnam providing solutions for design and construction of tensioned canvas. With the strength of creative ideas in tensioned canvas architectural design and practical construction methods, we are confident in bringing the most optimal solutions for each specific project, especially projects related to office walkway canopy structures and other types of tensioned canvas walkway canopy such as marina canopy. The source of materials at Flexiiform Vietnam is provided by FasTech, one of the prominent units specializing in tensioned canvas materials in the Southeast Asian market.
To receive in-depth technical solution advice or request a detailed quote for your project, please contact us.
Contact information:
Company: Flexiiform
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