East Maitland Bowling Club Canopy
Project Details
Location: East Maitland, NSW
Completion Date: August 2013
Size: 1760 sqm
Fabric: PTFE - Sheerfill V
Client: East Maitland Bowling Club Ltd
MakMax Australia was engaged in late 2012 to design and construct the East Maitland Bowling Club Canopy, with the project completed in August 2013.
Originally approached in a design capacity as experts in tensile membrane structures, we collaborated closely with EJE Architecture to integrate the canopy into the club’s existing Development Approval (DA) documentation. The result is a striking 38m x 41m tensioned membrane structure, designed to provide all-weather protection while complementing the club’s facilities.
The canopy features a lightweight yet durable PTFE fabric membrane, stretched over a precision-engineered steel frame with custom-designed footings. This project was one of the earliest installations of our Bow String Design (later refined and rebranded as the Hawksbill model within our TensoSport-MAX range).
Now a key part of East Maitland Bowling Club, the canopy enhances playing conditions year-round, offering members and guests a superior bowling experience in any weather.
The Concept
The Materials
The canopy is fabricated using Sheerfill V, a PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) coated high-translucency glass fibre fabric known for its strength, durability, and aesthetic qualities. This material is ideally suited for large-span tensile membrane structures and provides excellent natural light transmission, while remaining highly resistant to extreme weather.
Initially, 1000W floodlights were installed in lightboxes suspended from the roof, designed to reflect light off the canopy. These were later replaced with smaller, down-facing floodlights. Advances in LED technology now offer a more efficient, low-profile lighting solution for modern bowling green canopies.
