Anyone out there used any creative materials for canopy construction. I'm looking for something thats inexpensive and will work for a project in Florida. We've looked at using A Zahner metal panels (Gehry E.M.P.) but the cost is enormous. We also looked at using stretched fabric (Birdair) but it isn't going to save us much. If any one has used any other systems please let me know.
DJ
Jun 28, 04 5:20 pm
bump
I'd like to hear some response on this....
Jason K
Jun 28, 04 5:25 pm
Let me rephrase the question and hopefully we'll get some feedback. Name some projects, post some links to projects that use <blank> material in a creative way on a canopy. Show me the canopies!!!
ArchAngel
Jun 28, 04 5:26 pm
Is it for Rain, Sun, or both?
Jason K
Jun 28, 04 5:35 pm
Well the function of the canopy I am designing is to protect people from the Florida elements as they enter our building. My original design was an airplane wing look, but like I said the brushed stainless panels are really expensive. So I'd like to see what people have done to create canopies that are not just canopies, but an integrated design element. Examples would be helpful, but I'd also like to know the manufactureres of the materials/systems used on the projects. So to answer your question....both rain and sun....plus flying 2x4s in a hurricane!
DJ
Jun 29, 04 9:18 am
Bump again...I'm very interested in this...
Jason K
Jun 29, 04 2:07 pm
does everyone live in a sunless-rainless world? If so I'd like to join you......do you still have to design for ADA?
DJ
Jun 29, 04 2:12 pm
How about examples like black geotextile fabric with grommets...
this might be cool for a screening material.
Jason K
Jun 29, 04 2:17 pm
sounds a bit like the birdair products... I believe they make a fiberglass "fabric" that can be colored. My dilema is the cost of steel, so like DJ I am in need of a lightweight canopy structure, but I need one that doesn't look like your typical light weight canopy.
I don't know how expensive it is but its an interesting material.
DJ
Jun 29, 04 4:25 pm
Aerogel is very interesting, but I think it's like $200 s.f.
Jason K
Jun 29, 04 4:29 pm
So it really exists? I'm skeptical.... Has it ever been used in construction....other than in mars rovers and super secret NASA spacecraft?
John Jourden
Jun 29, 04 4:41 pm
I can't imagine aerogel is that expensive - I mean its 99.8% air and 0.2% silicon what could be cheaper than sand and air? I don't know if you could find a vendor to buy it as a building material or not. But its worth a try - right? Instant publication material - first project to use aerogel.
Jason K
Jun 29, 04 4:55 pm
How would you fasten it? Could it pass a small missle test in Dade county? Obviously it can withstand impacts of high speed if it is catching comet particles, but what about a VW bug at 150 mph...:) I'd love to get a sample of this stuff and play around with it....any one ever seen a sample with their own eyes?
ekims
Jun 29, 04 4:58 pm
A friend is using a parachute from a army surplus store as a canopy...
DJ
Jun 30, 04 9:00 am
bump
any other design ideas?
Jason K
Jun 30, 04 10:24 am
Bueller Bueller.....
DJ
Jun 30, 04 10:45 am
"Bueller Bueller....."
hahaha
Come on Archinect, I challenge you.
What are some examples of cheap canopy structure and screening material, ie. fabric, black geotextile fabric, etc.....
John Jourden
Jun 30, 04 10:51 am
no, but a friend of mine is a particle physist and he's going to find out where I can get a few pieces or if its even possible. I'll let you all know what its like if I recieve any.
Jason K
Jun 30, 04 11:19 am
more details for those that are interested... I've got 8,000 sf of canopy and i've got a $500,000 budget, which includes all the structure, soffit etc.... I was going to use a brushed ss panel from A Zahner but they came in at $400k without the structure. I can use an ALCOA metal panel, but I'd like to find something a little more creative. Anyone?
proto
Jun 30, 04 11:26 am
polygal rfx has a decent texture to make it look less like a structured plastic panel
www.polygal.com, I think (it googled ok, but i couldn't connect)
Jason K
Jun 30, 04 11:31 am
polycarbonate panels is an idea we passed around, do you know of any other manufacturers?
ge plastics is the standard for polycarb. pretty uninteresting materials, as they come.
the interiors market is exploding for polycarb and resin. knoll, herman miller, lumicite all have interesting panels. they are not likely to be rated for outdoor use though, and probably not missile tested either.
it seems you should be inventing something here with the cheap materials you already know about. fancy materials seem to always have fancy prices.
if these canopies are important enough, can you drop the material quality somewhere else to buy something interesting here?
proto
Jun 30, 04 12:07 pm
unless you've already passed on it for some reason, get a sample of the polygal rfx. it's supposed to be better sun protection than the typical polygal type panel
[i don't sell for them; i just wanted to use it in a project, and it got nixed]
"if these canopies are important enough, can you drop the material quality somewhere else to buy something interesting here?"
We did, the main facade material went from a really unique Turkish red limestone to ALCOA metal panels toa composite wood panel (Trespa Meteon.) Which, by the way, is a really cool prodcut...check it out if you get a free minute. www.trespa.com
So in answer to your question if I pull any money out of something else it will be to get the project in my budget. I agree with your comment about not reinventing the wheel, but what I'd like to see is how other designers have used more affordable products in a creative way. If this were a smaller project and not commercial I would try and recycle materials like Samuel Mockbee (in response to ekims parachute suggestion), but unfortunately Hospitals don't appreciate things like this.
Jason K
Jun 30, 04 12:18 pm
thats a great resource for metal fabrics....thanks john
Jason K
Jun 30, 04 12:28 pm
Ha...I just forwarded the metal fabric link to our interiors department and they told me one of the reps was in our office 15 minutes ago.
i think PTF is the preferred structural material; at a meeting i was in the other day someone mentioned that PVC costs half as much (and lasts half as long)
Jason K
Jun 30, 04 1:40 pm
"Caution: Neoparies Fino is a glass material. If Neoparies Fino is cracked or broken, you may be seriously injured by its fragment. Be careful in handling the products. "
Probably not a good idea to use this in hurricane alley unless they have an NOA number. Very nice look on the hotel though...
Jason K
Jun 30, 04 1:47 pm
After speaking with a colleague about the polycarbonate panels, I'm not so sure I'd use it. On a similar project in Florida they have found that the material needs a 10% slope to drain and water can permeate the material overtime causing it to mold etc.
John Jourden
Jun 30, 04 2:33 pm
no, use the neoclad product - i gave you the wrong link. check out the neoclad Neoparies.
polycarbonate is plastic, originally developed to replace glass for bulletproof/explosion proof transparent applications
DJ
Jun 30, 04 5:32 pm
thx
MitchellMetals
Mar 18, 18 1:38 pm
I would suggest looking into prefabricated metal canopies such as those available from Mitchell Metals. This company offers to ship canopy materials directly to your building site on a flatbed truck.
anthonymelvin
Aug 20, 18 5:30 pm
If you are looking for aluminum composite materials for your building, Madison Industries has everything you need. Visit their website for more information.
Anyone out there used any creative materials for canopy construction. I'm looking for something thats inexpensive and will work for a project in Florida. We've looked at using A Zahner metal panels (Gehry E.M.P.) but the cost is enormous. We also looked at using stretched fabric (Birdair) but it isn't going to save us much. If any one has used any other systems please let me know.
bump
I'd like to hear some response on this....
Let me rephrase the question and hopefully we'll get some feedback. Name some projects, post some links to projects that use <blank> material in a creative way on a canopy. Show me the canopies!!!
Is it for Rain, Sun, or both?
Well the function of the canopy I am designing is to protect people from the Florida elements as they enter our building. My original design was an airplane wing look, but like I said the brushed stainless panels are really expensive. So I'd like to see what people have done to create canopies that are not just canopies, but an integrated design element. Examples would be helpful, but I'd also like to know the manufactureres of the materials/systems used on the projects. So to answer your question....both rain and sun....plus flying 2x4s in a hurricane!
Bump again...I'm very interested in this...
does everyone live in a sunless-rainless world? If so I'd like to join you......do you still have to design for ADA?
How about examples like black geotextile fabric with grommets...
this might be cool for a screening material.
sounds a bit like the birdair products... I believe they make a fiberglass "fabric" that can be colored. My dilema is the cost of steel, so like DJ I am in need of a lightweight canopy structure, but I need one that doesn't look like your typical light weight canopy.
carbon fiber
Goretex?
http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/residential/archives/0404HotM-1.asp
Very cool Rorschach...thanks for the link. That is the kind of idea I am looking for.
Good link
How about examples of designs of small canopies over outdoor spaces or entryways?
you could use Aerogel
I don't know how expensive it is but its an interesting material.
Aerogel is very interesting, but I think it's like $200 s.f.
So it really exists? I'm skeptical.... Has it ever been used in construction....other than in mars rovers and super secret NASA spacecraft?
I can't imagine aerogel is that expensive - I mean its 99.8% air and 0.2% silicon what could be cheaper than sand and air? I don't know if you could find a vendor to buy it as a building material or not. But its worth a try - right? Instant publication material - first project to use aerogel.
How would you fasten it? Could it pass a small missle test in Dade county? Obviously it can withstand impacts of high speed if it is catching comet particles, but what about a VW bug at 150 mph...:) I'd love to get a sample of this stuff and play around with it....any one ever seen a sample with their own eyes?
A friend is using a parachute from a army surplus store as a canopy...
bump
any other design ideas?
Bueller Bueller.....
"Bueller Bueller....."
hahaha
Come on Archinect, I challenge you.
What are some examples of cheap canopy structure and screening material, ie. fabric, black geotextile fabric, etc.....
no, but a friend of mine is a particle physist and he's going to find out where I can get a few pieces or if its even possible. I'll let you all know what its like if I recieve any.
more details for those that are interested... I've got 8,000 sf of canopy and i've got a $500,000 budget, which includes all the structure, soffit etc.... I was going to use a brushed ss panel from A Zahner but they came in at $400k without the structure. I can use an ALCOA metal panel, but I'd like to find something a little more creative. Anyone?
polygal rfx has a decent texture to make it look less like a structured plastic panel
www.polygal.com, I think (it googled ok, but i couldn't connect)
polycarbonate panels is an idea we passed around, do you know of any other manufacturers?
- let your fingers do the walking
SWEETS is not working?
nevermind...
ge plastics is the standard for polycarb. pretty uninteresting materials, as they come.
the interiors market is exploding for polycarb and resin. knoll, herman miller, lumicite all have interesting panels. they are not likely to be rated for outdoor use though, and probably not missile tested either.
it seems you should be inventing something here with the cheap materials you already know about. fancy materials seem to always have fancy prices.
if these canopies are important enough, can you drop the material quality somewhere else to buy something interesting here?
unless you've already passed on it for some reason, get a sample of the polygal rfx. it's supposed to be better sun protection than the typical polygal type panel
[i don't sell for them; i just wanted to use it in a project, and it got nixed]
"if these canopies are important enough, can you drop the material quality somewhere else to buy something interesting here?"
We did, the main facade material went from a really unique Turkish red limestone to ALCOA metal panels toa composite wood panel (Trespa Meteon.) Which, by the way, is a really cool prodcut...check it out if you get a free minute. www.trespa.com
So in answer to your question if I pull any money out of something else it will be to get the project in my budget. I agree with your comment about not reinventing the wheel, but what I'd like to see is how other designers have used more affordable products in a creative way. If this were a smaller project and not commercial I would try and recycle materials like Samuel Mockbee (in response to ekims parachute suggestion), but unfortunately Hospitals don't appreciate things like this.
thats a great resource for metal fabrics....thanks john
Ha...I just forwarded the metal fabric link to our interiors department and they told me one of the reps was in our office 15 minutes ago.
okay how about
Neoparies?
its the cladding on the sofitel in chicago
opps this is a better location
http://www.neg.co.jp/arch/
i think PTF is the preferred structural material; at a meeting i was in the other day someone mentioned that PVC costs half as much (and lasts half as long)
"Caution: Neoparies Fino is a glass material. If Neoparies Fino is cracked or broken, you may be seriously injured by its fragment. Be careful in handling the products. "
Probably not a good idea to use this in hurricane alley unless they have an NOA number. Very nice look on the hotel though...
After speaking with a colleague about the polycarbonate panels, I'm not so sure I'd use it. On a similar project in Florida they have found that the material needs a 10% slope to drain and water can permeate the material overtime causing it to mold etc.
no, use the neoclad product - i gave you the wrong link. check out the neoclad Neoparies.
My bosses used finish army camoflage - it rocks pretty hard
http://www.tkarchitecture.com/default.asp?PID=88 check the details at the bottom.
This is great guys!
What exactly is polycarbonate? What are they typ. used for?
interesting...but only applicable in a non commercial manner.
There are some details of the polycarbonate panels at the bottom. It seems like a slimline Kalwall system.
http://www.kalwall.com/main.htm
I like the extech site....cool stuff
dj
polycarbonate is plastic, originally developed to replace glass for bulletproof/explosion proof transparent applications
thx
I would suggest looking into prefabricated metal canopies such as those available from Mitchell Metals. This company offers to ship canopy materials directly to your building site on a flatbed truck.
If you are looking for aluminum composite materials for your building, Madison Industries has everything you need. Visit their website for more information.