Vector Foiltec
Beijing National Swimming Centre (The Water Cube)

Vector Foiltec are delighted to announce that that we have completed our contract to design and build the National Swimming Centre, for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

This prestigious project with Head Contractor China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) comprises over 100,000sqm of ETFE foil making this the single largest ETFE structure in the world to date.

Vector Foiltec has pioneered the use of Texlon ETFE, the climatic envelope, successfully developing and promoting the use of this innovative technology worldwide.

Texlon ETFE consists of pneumatic cushions restrained in aluminium extrusions and supported by a lightweight structure. The cushions are inflated with low-pressure air to provide insulation and resist wind loads.

The cushions are manufactured from multiple layers of a modified co-polymer called ethylene-tetra-fluoro-ethylene (ETFE). Originally developed for the space industry, the material is unique in that it does not degrade under ultra-violet light or atmospheric pollution.

Texlon combines exceptional light transmission with high insulation. Each layer can incorporate different types of solar shading enabling the designer to optimize the aesthetic and environmental performance of the building envelope.

These properties coupled with Texlon’s very low levels of embodied energy and outstanding environmental characteristics result in an ecologically benign climatic envelope.