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What Are Tension Structures?
Tension structures, or tensile fabric structures, are architecturally innovative forms of construction art that provide designers and end users a variety of aesthetic free-form canopy designs utilizing membranes such as PTFE-coated fiberglass or PVC. Design-build tensioned fabric structures are engineered and fabricated to meet worldwide structural, flame-retardant, a weather proofing, and natural forces requirements.
Types of Tension Fabric Structures
Membrane (Fabric) Structures
A membrane structure is a fabric membrane stretched taut over a frame or cable network, gaining its strength from tension rather than air pressure or heavy framing. Shade canopies, entry structures, and covered gathering spaces are the most common applications, built to stay up for the long term.
Cable-Stayed & Suspended Structures
A cable-stayed structure uses a network of tensioned steel cables to carry the load and shape the membrane, with little or no supporting frame underneath. Stadium roofs and large civic structures rely on this design when the span is too big for a frame-supported membrane to cover.
Benefits of Tension Fabric Structures
Shade & Weather Protection
Blocks direct UV exposure and lowers surface temperatures underneath, keeping outdoor spaces usable through more of the day and more of the year.
Design Flexibility
Fabric shapes into curves, peaks, and sails that a flat roof or metal canopy can’t replicate, giving architects room to match a site’s design intent rather than work around a fixed form.
Long Clear Spans
The tensioned membrane and supporting frame span long distances without interior columns, keeping the space below fully open for seating, play areas, or vehicle movement.
Lightweight Construction
A fabric membrane weighs a fraction of a conventional roof system, reducing the load carried by the frame and foundation below it.
Wind & Structural Performance
Membrane pretension and curvature are engineered to resist wind loads and prevent flutter or excess deflection, sized to the site’s local code requirements.
Lower Long-Term Maintenance
Coated fabric membranes resist UV degradation and skip the periodic repainting or resealing that some conventional roofing systems require.
Common Applications of Tension Fabric Structures
Design-build tensioned fabric structures are engineered and fabricated to meet worldwide structural, flame-retardant, weatherproofing, and regional load requirements. The Tension Structures team provides elegant and unique solutions for architects, general contractors, owners/developers, and anyone who is looking to spice up the ambiance of their environment. We work to create the structure you need for your project, whether it’s a school, park, charity, commercial space, or anywhere in between.
Office parks, corporate campuses, and private company facilities use tension structures to shade courtyards, entries, and outdoor break areas without the visual weight of a permanent roof addition.
Hotels, resorts, and outdoor malls often integrate lighting directly into the structure, so it provides shade over pools, patios, and gathering space during the day and ambiance after dark.
Schools, colleges, and municipal buildings use tension structures over courtyards, quads, and civic entries to create shaded gathering space for students, staff, and the public.
Tension structures shade bleachers, splash pads, and playground equipment, extending usable hours as much as blocking sun and rain.
Transit stations, park-and-ride lots, and EV charging areas use tension structures to cover riders, drivers, and equipment while keeping the site open on all sides.
The Eucalyptus, Sequoia, Willow, and Sycamore lines offer proven shapes and sizes for projects that don’t require a custom design, installing faster and at lower cost.
Modular Systems
Tension Structures features a line of architectural modules to choose from, providing endless shapes and sizes to mix and match into your tension structure design.
You Design, We Build
Whether it’s architecturally innovative designs or one of our modular fabric structure systems, Tension Structures can help you bring your next project from concept to reality. Our team provides expertise in design-build services, helping architects and owners develop their tensile project ideas, construct iconic structures, and ultimately create a compelling and exciting atmosphere. Whether your project starts on a napkin, CAD, or a virtual platform, we provide designs, integrated engineering, fabrication, and installation to bring your tension structure to life.
Why Partner With Tension Structures?
Experts in Achieving Your Shade & Structure Goals
Whether you have a specific design in mind or just know you need a shade structure, our experienced team will deliver the best solution for your space.
Built to Last With Architectural Grade Materials
We create unique fabric structures that look great and function perfectly–season after season. Industry professionals know they can rely on us to provide quality products because of our high-grade materials.
Decades of Complex Project Experience
In our 85+ years in the industry, our expert team has seen it all. We’ve designed, manufactured, and installed unique structures in a wide array of environments and can handle anything your project requires.
In-House Fabric Welding for a Lifetime of Use
Our tension structures are built using industry-leading fabric welding processes by our in-house team, ensuring quality and reliability for our customers.
Designed, Engineered, and Made in the USA
All our tension structures are designed, engineered, assembled and shipped from our Southern California facility.
Nationwide Installation
Our expert teams are ready and able install our products anywhere in the country, whether customers need structures built for humid, cold areas, hot and dry areas, or anything in between.
