Company:
GuildWorks, LLC

Project Details

Fabric 1

ETFE
Producer/Manufacturer: Nowofol GmbH
Primary Use: Main Fabric


Engineer Name 1
Trevor Stephen Lewis

Engineer Company 1
Bimception; GuildWorks, LLC

Design Name
Mar Ricketts

Design Company
GuildWorks, LLC

Fabrication Company
GuildWorks, LLC; Fabritecture (Consultation)

Project Manager Company
George P Johnson

Installation Name
Sebastian Collet

Installation Company
GuildWorks, LLC


Please describe the project specifications

The client asked us to design a structure that would serve as a gateway and a central meeting/celebration hub for the Dreamforce conference (the largest tech conference on the planet). The conference takes place at the Moscone Center in downtown San Francisco and would need to be installed as quickly as possible. The desired aesthetic was that of a “futuristic garden architecture” and needed to provide rain cover as the event was being held in the fall for the first time and it couldn’t look anything like a traditional tent.

The biggest challenge was how to design the structure to maximize the given space while minimizing the build time. It was designed to span the full width of a multi-lane downtown San Francisco Street that was closed down just for the event. We had a build window of just three days to build this structure in coordination with dozens of other smaller projects planned for the streetscape so it had to be planned for exceptionally quick deployment.

A customized arched truss system was developed including specialized hinges to be able to quickly and efficiently put the structure into place. The 3 panel etfe skin was attached to the structure and stretched by tensioning the arched trusses into final position. Underneath the ETFE canopy a webbing tension net, made to look like a grid shell, supported treelike structures, printing on the canopy also contributed to give a lush garden-like experience for the event. The structure served as a central outdoor gathering point with special musical acts throughout the 4 day conference.


What is unique or complex about the project?

This single skin 5,000+ sqtf ETFE shelter was the first and only of its kind in our experience. This project was a good challenge for us and involved many innovations to complete. It was a very unique experience for us.


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