Convertible SEFAR® Architecture TENARA® Fabric Roof Adds Modern Flexibility to Historic HVB Forum

Nov. 29, 2011 - PRLog -- Located in the heart of Munich, Germany, HVB Forum was the home of banks and financial institutions for over a century before being transformed into a business event venue featuring a convertible open-air atrium with SEFAR® Architecture TENARA® Fabric.

Enclosed on all four sides with light entering only from the opening above, the atrium was the focal point of the renovation. The owner wanted to preserve the openness and light of the space while creating a convertible area that is open-air in good weather and enclosed in bad.

The solution was a beautiful retractable, folding roof system featuring SEFAR Architecture’s TENARA Fabric that facilitates light transmission and provides flexibility. The TENARA Fabric roof covers the 3,400-square-foot courtyard and complements the impressive architecture of the building. Built during Germany and Austria’s Gründerzeit economic period of the 1870s, HVB Forum was designed at a time when industrialization was posing significant aesthetic challenges to architects. As a result, many buildings exhibited architectural historicism – drawing inspiration from copying historic styles or artisans.

The HVB Forum features 5,500 square feet of TENARA Fabric’s 4T40HF, which offers 38% light transmission to allow maximum sunlight into the courtyard and surrounding office windows. The atrium’s open-air feeling is maintained even on cloudy days when the cover is in use due to the high light transmission of the fabric. The flexibility of the TENARA Fabric has enabled it to withstand regular folding and unfolding while its unique split-pleat construction is used for rainwater management.

“The TENARA Fabric foldable roof system allows for the continued use of this historical building while meeting the needs of adequate light transmission, protection from inclement weather, flexibility and visual appeal,” says Peter Katcha, Director of North American Sales for SEFAR Architecture.

TENARA Fabric is woven from high-strength expanded ePTFE fluoropolymers, and is also fluoropolymer-coated, making PTFE inherent in the material. This provides the fabric with the ability to flex and fold without wear or losing strength. The material will also not crack, crease or develop mold or mildew while stored.

To see a video of the HVB Forum retractable roof system, click here: http://www.tenarafabric.com/hvbbankvideo/HVBBankVideo.html.

To learn more about SEFAR Architecture’s TENARA Fabric, visit http://www.tenarafabric.com.

For high-res photos, visit http://www.lopressroom.com/sefar/hvb-forum.

The HVB Forum project was completed in 2006. Members of the project team included architects Guido Canali and Gilberto Botti, Munich, Germany and engineer/fabricator Clauss Markisen Projekt GmbH, Bissingen, Germany.

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About SEFAR Architecture: SEFAR Architecture is a leading manufacturer of monofilament precision and ePTFE yarn fabrics and fabric systems for interior and exterior architectural applications. With comprehensive knowledge in textile architecture, Sefar has cooperated with experienced lighting technicians and polymer experts to develop a new generation of fabrics for the architectural and design community. For more information on SEFAR Architecture’s products and services, call Peter Katcha at 727-388-4919 or visit www.sefar.us.