Current Situation and Solution: Denver Station Tensile Canopy – Modernizing Transportation and Public Spaces
Modernizing historic train stations to meet the needs of today’s transportation and urban growth is a major challenge. The Denver Union Station Tension Canopy is a prime example of this transformation. Originally built in 1881, Denver Union Station has undergone a comprehensive modernization that includes the addition of new spaces for new modes of transportation, mixed-use development, and the needs of residents. The building features a large structural roof, offering a variety of modern styles and high-quality materials that keep the interior space airy, comfortable, and resistant to the sun and rain outside, while creating a weightless appearance.
—
Technical Requirements Analysis & Solution Context
The Denver Union Station modernization project posed complex technical and contextual requirements:
* Integrating the historic and the modern: New spaces and modern modes of transportation need to be added to a historic structure, while developing mixed-use areas and meeting community needs.
* Protection and comfort: The canopy needs to provide effective protection from harsh sunlight and high temperatures while still allowing daylight to enter.
* Large scale and weightlessness: Requires a large canopy (over $80,000$ square feet) but must have a light appearance, not causing a heavy feeling.
* Project Coordination: The overall scale of the modernization project, which included eight separate structures, required close coordination and collaboration among a large project team of architects, engineers, contractors, steel fabricators, steel erectors and other trades working in the same physical space.
—
Technical Solutions
The Denver Terminal Tension Canopy was realized through expert collaboration and advanced material selection.
Denver Union Station Modernization
The modernization of Denver Union Station involved adding new space to accommodate new modes of transportation, mixed-use development, and the needs of residents. The overall project consisted of eight separate structures, requiring a large project team of architects, engineers, contractors, steel fabricators, steel erectors, and other trades. Coordination and collaboration with different team members was critical, especially given the number of different trades working on different parts of the project within the same physical space. The entire project was led by a renowned architectural firm SOM.
Tension canvas roof design and materials
Structurflex responsible for the design, fabrication and installation of a heavy-duty structural roof for the main train concourse and individual canopies for the waiting and disembarking areas. Single-layer PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) and ETFE (Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene) coated fiberglass was used to create a structural roof for the Denver Terminal Tension Canopy, measuring over $80,000$ square feet, providing a weightless appearance. The material allows filtered sunlight to pass through the roof, ensuring daylight without the accompanying heat, keeping the interior space airy and comfortable.
—
Results and Performance Evaluation
The Denver Union Station modernization project was a resounding success, with the Denver Station Tensile Fabric Canopy serving as an architectural and functional highlight. The project not only successfully integrated modern transportation modes and mixed-use development into a historic structure, but also created an attractive and amenity-filled public space. The Tensile Fabric Canopy’s weightless appearance and ability to filter sunlight without heat significantly improved the passenger and user experience. The effective collaboration between stakeholders, led by SOM and Structurflex, demonstrated the ability to realize large-scale, complex projects, resulting in an iconic, functionally and environmentally optimized building that enhances the urban landscape.
—
Contact Technical Consulting
Flexiiform is proud to be one of the leading units in Vietnam providing professional design and construction solutions for Tensile Fabric structures. With a team of well-trained and skilled Architects and Engineers, we are the only unit in Vietnam receiving professional advice from FasTech Company – The leading design and construction company of tensioned fabric structures in Thailand, with nearly 30 years of prestige and experience in the industry and successfully implemented more than 1,000 tensioned fabric projects in Thailand and Southeast Asia. With the strength of creative ideas in tensioned fabric architectural design, along with practical construction methods, Flexiiform is confident that it will bring the most optimal solutions for each specific project, similar to the tensioned fabric canopy of Denver station.
For expert advice or to request a detailed quote, please contact us. You can read more Reference video from Michael Jiroch.
Contact information:
Company: Flexiiform
Phone: +84 8678 68830
Website: https://flexiiform.vn/
Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/flexiiform/
