Singapore ITE ETFE Roof
Project Details
Location: Singapore
Completion Date: 2012
Size: 6800
Fabric: ETFE - Nowofol
Client: Singapore Institute of Technical Education
The Singapore ITE ETFE Roof project is an example of imagination and innovation in architecture, something that Singapore does very well. The series of lightweight, modern ETFE roofs at Singapore’s Institute of Technical Education campus are a stunning examples of ETFE in modern architecture.
The Brief
Singapore’s Institute of Technical Education, a vocational training facility wanted to maintain currency and relevance in the campus redevelopment by considering new materials and modern design applications to speak with their audience, and allow their facilities to function as a architectural expression of their technical capability.
Feature a series of separate roof structures, set a different heights and featuring different geometric forms, The Singapore ITE ETFE Roof speaks to this modern design aesthetic, and the sprawling campus, once tasked with training carpenters and mechanics, now boasts facilities to rival any major mall, university, or airport.
The Concept
The Institute of Technical Education requested a non-invasive roofing solution to combat Singapore’s heat and tendency for torrential rain. The roof needed to be light weight, aesthetically pleasing as well as functional in limiting solar heat gain while maintaining water-tightness.
The client is in the business of education and learning, the concept of ‘new’ is very much part of their business plan, therefore the facilities in which they operate required the same treatment.
The Materials
The range of structures that make up the Singapore ITE ETFE Roof consist of a pair of large, skillion atriums with a custom print pattern, as well as two lower dual-layer ETFE pillow structures set in between buildings.
The double layer ETFE pillow structures feature curving lines and rounded forms, with ETFE pillow ranging from 4m2 to 170m2 square. These lower structures show of the versatility of the air-filled ETFE cushion system.
The use of a custom-printed film on the high, flat roofing elements, limit the amount of UV light to pass through the film while adding an aesthetic element. The printed leaf shapes on the flat ETFE roof create shadow patterns on the floor below, mimicking a treetop canopy. In this way the two-layer ETFE pillows use light and shade to evoke feelings of a cool rainforest environment.
Installation of the ETFE pillows was particularity difficult given the heights at which some of the panels were placed. Limited access and delicate install techniques meant rope access was often the only method of installation.
The project is an example of collaboration within the Taiyo Kogyo family of companies, with collaboration on design and fabrication between MakMax Australia and our Europe office – Taiyo Europe.
The Result
At the time of construction, ETFE was under utilised in Australia, yet gaining popularity with Singaporean designers and architects as a new, modern alternative to glass. The ETFE Roof is an example of the way this non-invasive roofing solution is able to combat Singapore’s heat and tendency for torrential rain.
The Singapore ITE ETFE Roof is a light weight, and aesthetically pleasing, as well as a functional roofing solution that limits solar heat gain. Most importantly the new facilities is now in line with the client’s business image and aspirations, reflecting modernity, innovation, and excellence in design.
