Tensile Canopy.
The Hallmark Crown Center’s dramatic tensile canopy provides an all-weather walkway for visitors entering the Sealife Center and Legoland. Inspired by the ocean, the customised ‘Wave’ tensile fabric structure is fully supported by the buildings steel framework, offering an unobstructed dry space for visitors to line up to enter the venue.
The challenge.
The plaza in front of the building sits on top of an underground parking lot. As a result, the fabric structure could not be fixed to the concrete floor. The challenge was engineering the 177’ by 12’ span structure to cantilever from the building’s steel frame without touching the ground. The tensile canopy also required special movement joints to allow it to flex under wind and snow loads.
The solution.
Because there was an existing tensile structure over the adjacent ice skating rink, it was important to the Hallmark Center to continue the fabric ‘theme’ for the Wave canopy. The beautifully engineered design catches everyone’s attention, attracting visitors, while a glazed walkway (fixed under the canopy) provides additional shelter. The steel framework on the façade of the building was used for signage.
