Page 78 - Between light and shade

between light and shade, TRANSPARENCy and reflection

lyptus trees on the site, from which gigantic huts
(naturally ventilated and lit) made from leaves
and twigs are in turn suspended 84.

The concept of a large HPPE net covered
with an ETFE film was reproduced, in 2010, for
the large events hall in the quarry in Zhoushan
[01/574-2, Fig. 76].

Although these inexpensive, extremely
light and transparent, virtually stain-resistant
minimal structures, which disappear in a blaze
and are made from para-aramid or HPPE nets,
covered — or not — with an ETFE membrane,
are the most promising and workable (since 1990
!), they are still only plans on paper. East Vesuvio
and Zhoushan will consequently be “firsts”.

This is a reminder of the slow speed at which
the construction industry progresses. Facilita-
ting research and development, including outside
laboratories, by experimenting with actual struc-
tures for their own use, would be likely to ener-
gise it, but above all to give property investors
and other patrons confidence.

84 The shape of the surface and mesh of the nets are designed
such that they bear loads using as little (expensive) material
as possible. Being suspended, the huts are no longer subject to
the instability that characterises them when they stand on the
ground. Therefore, they can be far larger than all those built
to date (the Bantu huts in the Transvaal in South Africa).
78