Taiyo Membrane India News

Taiyo Kogyo Corporation provided the ETFE design, production, and construction for the UNIQLO Shinsaibashi which is the first case in Japan to use ETFE film as an exterior material on a permanent architecture.  As the ETFE film is highly translucent, façade structures which use this material have a unique cushion effect during the day, and at night becomes a huge screen which colors the night sky using lighting effects.

The UNIQLO Shinsaibashi opened on October 1st.  The façade consists of 158 pieces, each of them  2.7m square.  Each unit is made from 2 layers of ETFE film, which are inflated into a cushion shape.  The 1200m2 façade appears like a white down-jacket during the day, but after sunset it shines colorfully with LED lighting.

Numerous cutting patterns were verified, in order to inflate the flat film into a cushion shape without wrinkles.  In addition, many aluminum extrusion prototypes were made for the detail following the curve.  A special package was made to transport the fabricated film to site, so as not to fold or damage the large 2.7m square film.  4 full scale units were installed at the (location) factory for mock up, to demonstrate the lighting using LED lights and image devices.

The ETFE film is difficult to apply on permanent structures, due to the legal regulations in Japan.  For this project, the legal issues were solved through the ambition of Obayashi Corporation and related personnel.  This project is attracting attention as the first permanent architecture in Japan to use ETFE film as an exterior.  Meticulous discussions with the owner and designers from the initial planning stage led to the completion of this project.

MakMax group is known for large scale membrane structures, mainly for roofing purposes.  In the future, the demand in the façade field is expected to grow. We, MakMax group will work together to provide groundbreaking solutions and create a new landscapes around the world.

[ ETFE Façade of UNIQLO Shinsaibashi ]
A façade for the store which is four stories above ground and one below.  ETFE film was installed to the height of 36m.  2 layers of ETFE film are inflated into a cushion form.  One unit is 2.7m square, with 158 units in total, covering the 1200m2 wall surface.  At night LED lighting illuminates the membrane form colorfully, creating a unique landscape.