Membrane constructions: Membrane cover

František Kalesný

SUMMARY

The new concert hall Zenith in Strasbourg was inaugurated in January 2011, making it the biggest Zenith concert hall in France. The inner part of the building is not immediately visible. It consists of 30 cm thick reinforced concrete which is shaped into lines with different curve radius. The oval form was chosen as a sculptural element and its monumental volume gains some lightness by the ellipses of the steel structure. Twenty steel columns around the massive core form the primary construction for the facade structure which carries the membrane. The light membrane stands in contrast to the heavy building core and it envelopes the building above the entrance area. It was one of the key issues of the project. The Interglas Atex 5000 silicon coated glass fabric used meets all aesthetic and mechanical requirements.

Keywords: PVC, architecture, construction, structure, membrane, membrane cover