Vector Foiltec
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Vector Foiltec specialize in using ETFE as an architectural cladding technology.
Since inception in 1982 as two companies - Vector Special Projects in London and Foiltec in Bremen, Germany - the company has grown globally to encompass more than 10 offices around the world. Today, Vector Foiltec has manufacturing facilities in both Germany and China with specialist design centers in UK, Germany, USA, Australia, France and China.
Vector Foiltec were responsible for the world's first ETFE structure at Burgers' Zoo in 1982 and many other significant projects since then including:
- Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, UK
- Eden Project, UK
- Magna Science Adventure Centre - winner of the 2001 Royal Institute of British Architects(RIBA) Stirling Prize
- Southern Cross Station, Australia
- Beijing National Aquatics Centre, China
[edit] ETFE Technology
The Texlon ETFE cladding system comprises a number of layer of the UV stable copolymer Ethylene Tetra Fluoro Ethylene (ETFE) welded into cushions or foils. The cushions are restrained around their perimeter by aluminium extrusions, which are in turn fastened to a supporting primary structure. The cushions are inflated with low-pressure air to provide insulation and to resist wind loads.
A Texlon ETFE cushion typically comprises at least two layers. However, more layers can be added into the system to enhance the cladding's insulation properties. Each layer of a cushion can be modified with a variety of treatments to control and manipulate the aesthetic quality of the roof, the visual transparency and the level of solar gain.
The material's innate toughness, high resistance to tearing and ability to work harden over a 300-400% elongation range means that the Texlon ETFE system can naturally deal with very large deflections in the support structure.
This has allowed the development of unique lightweight structures such as uniaxial cable nets and large scale geodesics.
