A work of art at Newport Beach Story by SEFAR A work of art at Newport Beach Newport Beach Civic Center Story by Eide Industries Inc Newport Beach Civic Center

A work of art at Newport Beach

SEFAR as Manufacturers

Project. Directly on the shore in Newport Beach, there is now a new civic building which reflects architecturally the characteristic Californian lifestyle. Both visitors and its 86000 inhabitants alike are attracted by an exciting waterside life at Newport Beach, the largest recreational harbor on the West Coast. Yet even in this bustling, leafy city with a reputation for culture, public employees have been based in the technically inadequate City Hall for many years. In planning the new Civic Center, the city authorities at Newport Beach stipulated it had to echo the beauty of the surroundings according to the principle of sustainability. The project was put out to competitive tender and the eventual winner was Bohlin Cywinski Jackson from San Francisco.


Concept/Design. The impressive roof construction resembles a wave pouring out of the main building. A curved sail made from 775 sqm tough SEFAR® Architecture TENARA® Fabric 4T40HF conceals the two-storey council chamber like a seashell, bringing a gentle light from the nearby ocean into play. With 38 % light transmission, the technical fabric provides just the right amount of light-shadow intensity, as well as protection from sun and precipitation. In addition, the material is fire-resistant, dirt and water repellant, extremely durable, and free from possibly toxic plasticizers.


Construction. The flexible and robust SEFAR® Architecture TENARA® Fabric 4T40HF also impresses by offering a number of exciting possibilities for uncomplicated incorporation into an otherwise markedly sophisticated project. The new complex embodies a successful interplay of airy fabric and gleaming, zinc-clad facade: The first point of contact for residents and visitors to Newport Beach now resembles the glistening Pacific Ocean.

Newport Beach Civic Center

Eide Industries Inc as Publishers

The City of Newport Beach commissioned BCJ Architects to design a new, iconic civic center that would match the surrounding community’s coastal lifestyle and beauty. TensionStructures.com, division of Eide Industries, Inc., worked closely with C.W. Driver (general contractors) throughout the design/build process to ensure the fabric structure exceeded the client’s vision and expectations. Eide completed the design refinement, frame and fabric manufacturing, and installation of the three-dimensional curtain wall for the newly-completed LEED Silver-Certified City Hall and Civic Center.


The new complex features a curved “sail” façade, made of TENARA® Fabric by SEFAR® Architecture, with a roofline formed like a wave on the main building. For this ePTFE tensile structure to be successful, the signature “sail” shape had to be engineered to meet 90MPH wind speeds; while at the same time, not acting as a sail itself. To finalize the fabric membrane patterns and steel frame anchoring of the non-symmetrical shape, the entire building and curtain wall structure was built with 3D modeling software and BIM graphics.


The Newport Beach Civic Center Project has since won the AIA Orange County Honor Award for Design, and AIA Orange County Members Choice Award.


PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS


• 30’ High x 81’ Long Tensioned Fabric Curtain Wall Structure • Flame Retardant TENARA® Fabric 4T20 ePTFE made by SEFAR® Architecture • Engineered for 90MPH Wind Loads; Exposure D • Powder coated steel frame consists of varying sized vertical spines anchored to continuous horizontal parallel tubes and plates. • CSI Number 133123 Tensioned Fabric Structures and 133133 Framed Fabric Structures


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