November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 50

OPERATIONS
Playing With Fabric
Rigid-frame fabric buildings offer a permanent solution for athletic facilities
By Shannon Humbert
or many park and recreation agencies, the construction of a sports and
recreation facility comes down to two options: a permanent brick-andmortar
building or a lower-cost fabric bubble. In reality, there is another
solution - the modern tension fabric building - that takes the known
benefits of fabric cladding and applies them to a permanent facility.
on a much faster timeline than a traditional
brick-and-mortar building.
Modern fabric buildings are airtight
structures that provide maximum energy
efficiency and a controlled interior environment
for any application.
Rigid-Frame Design
A turning point for fabric structures
came 13 years ago with the introduction
of fabric
structures that
featured a structural steel I-beam
frame. This innovation
allowed
fabric buildings to be engineered in
the same fashion as conventional
construction projects, meaning that
it is now possible to design a fabric
building exactly as desired for its
intended uses.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) fabrics
also have improved with thicker materials
to provide a longer lifespan.
With a patented system in place to
attach the fabric to the structural
frame, facilities can be completed
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Space to Play
There's no getting around the fact
that turf sports, like football and
soccer, take a lot of space - especially
if you want a full-size regulation
field. Rigid-frame design allows
fabric buildings to have long, clear
spans without any need for support
beams that would interfere with the
playing area. For indoor facilities
where a track also is needed, it isn't
a problem to go wider and longer
with the building dimensions.
Optimized for the Sport
Court sports often come with defined
guidelines for building peak
height to allow for necessary space
around the playing surface boundaries.
All building measurements can
be customized from the beginning
of the design process in a rigid-frame
fabric building.
Furthermore, engineers can account
for any hanging or collateral
loads that may need to be supported
by the structural frame. HVAC, fire
suppression systems, lighting, scoreboards
and batting cages are among
the items that can be accounted for
within the original I-beam design.
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Interior Environment
The rigid-frame approach to fabric
structures also allows suppliers to
apply appropriate insulation to meet
energy codes or individual user requirements.
Insulation is secured
and protected by a liner, which is
the same type of PVC used to clad
the building exterior. The result is an
airtight structure designed for maximum
energy efficiency. Whether the
building must manage the humidity
of a pool or regulate the temperature
of a hockey arena, any athletic application
can be accommodated.
The fabric liner also provides aesthetic
benefits with a softer feel, better
acoustics - especially compared
to steel structures - and improved
lighting due to the fabric's reflective
nature. PVC fabric comes in a variety
of colors, so the interior and exterior
could be made to match the
colors of a school or community.
Long-Term Value
Not only are rigid-frame structures
built to last, but also they typically
require very little maintenance.
When considering the lower investment
to build and cost to maintain,
while acknowledging that the ideal
playing conditions can be achieved,
it's easy to see why tension fabric
buildings have become a desirable
permanent facility solution.
Shannon Humbert is a Building and
Project Design Consultant for Legacy
Building Solutions (shumbert@
legacybuildingsolutions.com).
PHOTO COURTESY OF LEGACY BUILDING SOLUTIONS
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation

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