DANCE PAVILION FREI OTTO
Located at Cologne, North RhineWestphalia, Germany, Dance Pavilion was first made for the Federal Garden exhibition in 1957 by architect Frei Otto. It is demounted every winter and rebuilt again every summer. It spans 33m and its membrane covers an area of 684 m² supported by 6 steel masts. It acts as a shelter and a rain protection pavilion.
STRUCTURE SYSTEM
01
LOAD ANALYSIS
02
TENSILE SYSTEM A tensile structure is a construction of elements carrying only tension and no compression or bending.
MAST SUPPORT SYSTEM
A tent-like structure where 6 perimeter steel masts support the membrane. The membrane is double-curvature which gains sufficient stiffness to withstand the loads. 6 high point joints pulling fabric upward and 6 low point joints pulling fabric downward. There is a 28 m² round opening on top of the roof.
HIGH POINT JOINT LOW POINT JOINT WEBBING COMPRESSION RING
UPLIFT WIND
COMPRESSION FORCE
Steel masts transfer weight of structure into the ground.
TENSION CABLE
CABLE TENSION
Cable tension works by keeping the fabric in shape through pre-tensioning.
FABRIC TENSION
CONSTRUCTION PROCESS
1. CIRCULAR PLATFORM
2. STEEL MASTS
3. MEMBRANE
Circular platform is elevated inside circular pool.
6 slanted steel masts anchored around the platform, to support the high points of the structure.
Fabric membrane is attached to the top of the steel masts.
STEEL TENSION CABLE
3-LEGGED STEEL MAST Steel structures erected and welded together in 3-legged form to withstand the compression strength of the tensile structure. Steel is used because of its high strength in corrosion resistance after galvanizing.
PVC-COATED POLYESTER FABRIC MEMBRANE High tensile strength (2000 - 10,000 N/5cm), lightweight, low cost, fire resistant
Downward wind is blocked by the high points of the tensile structure.
PRECIPITATION
03
The cable is spiral strand, where wires are spinned together to add endurance. The high strength of the rope wire enables the cable to support large tensile forces. The cables are anchored and tensioned where each node is stabilised by force in opposite directions in equilibrium.
DOWNWARD WIND
The opening on roof prevents rain to accumulate on the membrane. The high points are able resist the rain load too.
Fabric is pre-tensioned pulled by tension cables.
MATERIAL
Uplift wind is blocked by the low points of the tensile structure.
MODEL PROCESS
4. HIGH POINT CABLES
High point tension cables (guy cables) are pulled and anchored to base plate on the ground.
04
5. LOW POINT CABLES Low point tension cables are pulled and anchored to base plate on the ground.
05
1. The boundary plan is drawn on paper and laid on top of the foam board.
2. Plastic sticks are used to make the masts and poked into the foam board.
3. Nails are poked onto the center and the surrounding of the foam board.
5. The fabric is cut, stretched and glued to the masts.
6.The compression ring is cut and sewn to the fabric.
7. The webbing sticks are cut and sewn to the fabric.
4. The platform is cut and placed on top of the nails.
8. Strings are pulled from the fabric to the nails.
TAN WEI SEN 0324564 / WONG LOK XUAN 0325529 / POH JIA JOU 0327192 / BUILDING CONSTRUCTION II / PROJECT 2: UNDERSTANDING FORCES IN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION / TUTOR: MR RIZAL
ORTHOGRAPHIC DRAWINGS
06 CABLE BASE PLATE
Base where tension cables are anchored to on the ground
HIGH POINT JOINT
Connection of downward pullled fabric and tension cables
ELEVATION 1:500
LOW POINT JOINT
Connection of upward pullled fabric, steel mast and tension cable
PLAN 1:750
CONSTRUCTION DETAILS
SECTION 1:500
CABLE BASE PLATE DETAIL
07
HIGH POINT JOINT DETAIL
SCALE 1:5
SCALE 1:30
Tension ring Connecting cap Tension cable Webbing (PVC-coated polyester fabric)
Turnbuckle
Eyehook Ferule
PVC-coated polyester fabric
Tension cable
Open swage socket Steel mast
Pin Cable base plate
Anchor rod
LOW POINT JOINT DETAIL SCALE 1:30
SCALE 1:5 PVC-coated polyester fabric Webbing (PVCcoated polyester fabric)
Catenary cable
Tension cable
Webbing Turnbuckle
SCALE 1:10
Open swage socket
Pin
Webbing Catenary cable (installed inside webbing)
PVC-coated polyester fabric
Cable base plate Tension ring
Tension cable Anchor rod
Ferule
SCALE 1:10 TAN WEI SEN 0324564 / WONG LOK XUAN 0325529 / POH JIA JOU 0327192 / BUILDING CONSTRUCTION II / PROJECT 2: UNDERSTANDING FORCES IN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION / TUTOR: MR RIZAL