Copolymer of Ethylene and Tetrafluoroethylene. A high-performance flexible plastic, transparent to UV rays and self-cleaning. Extruded into ultra-thin films and inflated to form pneumatic cushions, it has freed architecture from the weight of glass, revolutionising the design of large stadia, malls and bioclimatic greenhouses.
Section of the perimeter edge. ETFE alone has no structural rigidity; the system exists only as long as the inflation unit continuously pumps dehumidified air between the layers.
ETFE has freed architecture from the weight of glass. From the Allianz Arena in Munich to the Water Cube in Beijing, this transparent ‘air bubble’ allows immense spans to be covered with minimal support structures, creating living, dynamic envelopes.
ETFE is extruded into very thin films (generally 100 to 300 microns). On its own, a film has no flexural rigidity. The structural genius of the system lies in its pneumatic nature. Multiple layers (two, three or four) are heat-welded along the edges to form a closed ‘cushion’, then inserted into an aluminium frame. A continuous system of pumps supplies filtered air at very low pressure between the chambers. This overpressure transforms the limp films into a pre-tensioned and hyper-rigid element, capable of bearing immense snow loads and elastically deforming under extreme wind gusts without tearing.
Unlike glass which screens most ultraviolet, ETFE is almost totally permeable to UV rays — essential for botanical greenhouses. Chemically similar to Teflon, ETFE has a very low coefficient of friction: it is literally non-stick. Rainwater does not wet the surface but slides away in perfect droplets (Lotus Effect), automatically removing smog, dust and dirt, reducing façade cleaning costs almost to zero.
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ETFE cushions are a living system that ‘breathes’. They require small inflation units connected to the power grid. However, since the system is airtight, the fans do not need to generate a continuous flow but only compensate for micro-losses and thermal variations. Energy consumption for covering thousands of square metres is equivalent to that of a single incandescent light bulb. CRITICAL: the air must be rigorously dehumidified to prevent internal condensation.
Complete enclosures (roof and facades) for large arenas, where savings on the weight of structural steel pay for the entire ETFE system.
PRC.25 · Open the processBotanical high-efficiency domes. The high transmission of UV-A and UV-B rays is vital for photosynthesis and plant colouring.
PRC.25 · Open the processCovering of public squares or shopping centres with silk-screened cushions to maintain natural brightness while controlling summer glare.
PRC.25 · Open the processThe milky (opal) film transforms cushions into gigantic 3D pixels if backlit by LED projectors for night-time media architecture.
PRC.25 · Open the processThe weight difference is immeasurable. Since the roof weighs almost nothing, the steel beams needed to support it (and the concrete foundations) can be reduced to filigree structures resembling spiders’ webs, forever changing the aesthetics of modern engineering.
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