Vector Foiltec Vector Foiltec invented the use of Texlon, the climatic envelope over twenty five years ago and has successfully developed and promoted the use of this innovative technology worldwide. We offer clients a complete design and construction service from initial concept through to scheme design, production, installation and facilities management. Our scope of services frequently includes the design and engineering of support structures and adjacent cladding. Vector Foiltec develops and supports a number of research programmes throughout the world. This coupled with our extensive experience...

Texlon, the climatic envelope The Texlon cladding system offers designers unparalleled opportunities in the development of the climatic envelope. Texlon consists of pneumatic cushions restrained in aluminium extrusions and supported by a lightweight structure. The cushions are inflated with low-pressure air to provide insulation and resist wind loads. The cushions are manufactured from multiple layers of ethylene-tetra-fluoro-ethylene (ETFE), a modified co-polymer. Originally developed for the space industry, the material is unique in that it does not degrade under ultraviolet light or atmospheric...

1. Wild Screen Walk Bristol, GB 2. DomAquarée Berlin, DE 3. US Federal Building Washington DC, US Main image: Khan Shatyry Astana, KZ Structural concepts Texlon cushions can be manufactured in large sizes and can span much greater distances than conventional cladding technology. This provides designers with the opportunity to integrate the design of the cladding with the primary structure developing aesthetics of simplicity and rationality. The technology is ideal for use where bomb blast or hurricane loadings need to be incorporated in the design. The material’s innate toughness, high resistance...

1. Festo Paris, FR 2. Wembley Park Station London, GB 3. Nocturama Kerzers, CH Main image: Art Center College of Design California, US Solar control Texlon’s multi-layered construction offers the designer numerous opportunities to control the amount of solar shading and manipulate the visual transparency of the building envelope. This has enabled the development of low energy naturally engineered environments. The Transparent Envelope Texlon cushions are highly transparent with each layer of foil having a transparency of between 90-95%. The transparency occurs over most of the solar spectrum....

1. DSD Cyclebowl Hannover, DE 2. Kindertagesstätte, “Plappersnut” Wismar, DE Variable skins Texlon’s multi-layered construction can be exploited to allow intelligent control of solar energy. Vector Foiltec can create climatic envelopes that sense their environments and change their insulation and solar transmission as required. By printing overlapping gestalt graphics on multiple layers and integrating the cushions with sophisticated pneumatics, we can move the different graphics together and apart from each other. This enables us to vary the amount of light and solar energy penetrating the building...

1. Classroom of the future London, GB 1. British Embassy Istanbul, TR 2. Classroom of the future London, GB 2. Natural History Museum London, GB 3. Aqualand Köln, DE Texlon Solar Texlon Solar integrates photovoltaic cells with Texlon cushions allowing harvesting of solar energy to create pollution-free electrical energy. This minimises the building’s energy usage and improves the ecological footprint of the development. Durability Vector Foiltec have been building Texlon ETFE envelopes for over 25 years. The material is unaffected by UV light and atmospheric pollutants. Texlon ETFE is chemically...

1. DomAquarée Berlin, DE 2. Meteorit sculpture Essen, DE Texlon Colour 1. Eden Project Cornwall, GB In a world increasingly reliant on the need to communicate, the Texlon envelope can be integrated into the visual and aural design of public spaces. 2. St Jakob Stadium Basel, CH Texlon’s multi-layered construction and the ability to print graphics, embody colour, manipulate surface quality, and laminate LEDs and light tapes to each individual foil layer allows the creation of envelopes of almost infinite visual variety and interest. 4. Heron Quays Station London, GB The surface can be designed...

1. Elypso Ganzjahresbad Deggendorf, DE 2. Johannisbad Freiberg, DE 3. Six Flags Aquatic Centre New York, US Main image: Massanutten Resort Virginia, US Insulation Texlon cushions have outstanding insulation properties that enable the use of large areas of transparent cladding without compromising environmental objectives. Texlon cushions are fabricated from multiple layers of foil. As each layer of foil encloses a layer of air the U value of the envelope is very low and can be optimised to suit each application. For high latitudes Texlon’s superb insulation qualities and high transparency can...

1. Brunel University Uxbridge, GB 2. Victoria House London, GB Ventilation Texlon’s lightness and flexibility allow new engineering approaches in the design and engineering of opening vents and moving structures. The material’s high elongation and flexibility means that supporting steel structures can be designed for stress rather than deflection. This enables very large opening vents to be engineered without risk of the cladding cracking or breaking. Frequently it becomes cost effective to design a whole roof to hydraulically open rather than incorporate opening vents around the perimeter. Completely...

1. Hannover Social Housing Hannover, DE 2. Imperial College London, GB 3. Queen Street Place London, GB Main image: Kensington Academy Liverpool, GB Fire Texlon has been extensively tested at various institutions around the world and complies with all national codes. The technology has the unique property of self-venting the products of combustion to the atmosphere. In situations where the plume does not reach 200ºC, we are able to fit the Texlon system with operable smoke vents to ventilate the products of combustion. The vents are operated by the building management system and fire alarm systems....