WOOSTER, OH - Seaman Corporation’s Shelter-Rite fabric made its second Olympic appearance at the 2006 Olympic Games in Torino. The fabric covers a temporary NBC Today Show broadcast studio and pavilion that was specially designed to be used for summer and winter Olympic events through 2012.
First used for the Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, the pavilion was stored for two years before being reconstructed in Torino. The 2800-square-foot structure must not only retain its aesthetic appeal for the next six years, it must be easily assembled and disassembled and stand up to myriad challenges including the rigors of international shipping.
Also, because the pavilion will be used in diverse locations throughout the world in summer and winter, the fabric roof had to be designed and constructed to handle high winds, freezing cold, extreme heat, driving rain and significant snow loads.
To meet these unique project parameters, a fabric roof constructed of white Shelter-Rite fabric was specified. "There were numerous considerations associated with this project," said Seaman Corporation’s Frank Bradenburg, "The pavilion roof had to achieve the design vision of the architect while doing a good job of protecting Today Show personnel and the expensive broadcast equipment from the elements."
Shelter-Rite fabric style 9319 white-opaque-white with T-139 top finish was chosen because it met the right combo of physical properties: strength, stretch, lightweight, opaque, whiteness and cleanability. “Further, this fabric makes it very easy to tension the fabric into position on the aluminum frame,” said Fred Liebi of FCL Management, the company that manages the on-location set construction, “The white fabric still looks like new and it delivers a very smooth surface appearance that is important to the overall set design.”
Because the roof fabric is opaque, it controls light during the Today Show broadcasts and helps reduce heat build up in hot weather. The acrylic finish that was applied to both sides of the fabric allows for easy cleaning and resists creases better than other coating options, an important feature for a structure that must be relocated every two years and stored between uses.
"We were excited and gratified to be asked to work with the building manufacturer, Art Guild, and the architect, Kling, on such an important and challenging project," said Bradenburg, "We’ll be just as proud to see it at the Summer Olympics in Beijing two years from now."
Seaman Corporation works with the best fabric structure designers and fabricators from around the world. Qualified Seaman personnel often work alongside architects or construction teams, making sure customers get the right fabric with the right qualities for their specific project.
For information, contact Seaman Corporation at 330-262-1111 or toll-free 800-927-8578. Seaman Corporation, 1000 Venture Blvd., Wooster, OH 44691. news@seamannewsroom.com
To learn more about Architectural Fabrics visit architecturalfabrics.com.
Seaman Corporation, a world leader in high performance fabrics, maintains its corporate headquarters and a major manufacturing center in Wooster, Ohio. Bristol, Tenn. is home to a second major manufacturing operation, including knitting and weaving facility.
Seaman Fabric Performs at 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino. Shelter-Rite Covers NBC News' Today Show Set
Posted by Kim Seaman on May 22, 2008
Topics: Architectural Fabric News
