Google HQ Chooses SEFAR® Architecture’s TENARA Fabric to Outfit New Plaza

DEPEW, NY… Google’s headquarters, referred to as the Googleplex, in Sunnyvale, CA, uses SEFAR® Architecture’s TENARA Fabric to shade the central plaza of a recent campus expansion – and the fabric has completely transformed the newly-outfitted space.

The plaza features a large curved steel trellis, with several hundred triangles of TENARA Fabric. Designed by Valerio Dewalt Train Associates and engineered by Thornton Tomasetti, the project required nine distinct triangle shapes to fit within the steel geometry. Each triangle had to be within 1.5 inches of the connector hubs when fully tensioned.

To accomplish the design goals, installer Duvall Design, Inc., experimented with different shapes and patterns of fabric membranes to find the best fit.

“We started the Google project by producing several mock-up triangles, which we tensioned on steel frames and shipped to the job site,” says Charles Duvall of Duvall Design Inc. “After many experiments, we found an unusual curved shape, which was shallow in depth, yet allowed the membrane to tension evenly. This curve is somewhat flat across center and pointed at the corners of the triangle.”

Duvall Design Inc. then developed a series of fourteen laser-cut and formed hubs out of stainless steel plate, which simply bolted onto threaded studs that were retrofitted onto the existing steel.

Aesthetically, the trellis creates a shade pattern, like the sun passing through leaves on a tree. TENARA Fabric is backed by an industry-leading light transmission rate that provides superior translucency for effective and appealing light diffusion without affecting light temperature or light transmission negatively.

“When discussing fabric options, TENARA Fabric immediately came to mind because of its ability to diffuse sunlight,” says Duvall.

By using TENARA Fabric, the project team was able to achieve the maximum amount of shade below the structure while retaining the ambiance of sunny California because of TENARA’s unique ability to diffuse light without blocking it completely.

Not only does TENARA light brilliantly and drape beautifully, it also lasts ultimately because of its self-cleaning quality. TENARA Fabric will look new, even after many years. In addition, SEFAR® Fabrics have excellent chemical resistance and high resistance against extreme temperatures and UV radiation.

TENARA Fabric’s protective layer, laminated to both of its sides, was extremely important for this project. The edge was cut away by one-inch to bind the triangle, and the layers were only removed after it was installed. As a result, no one ever touched the surface of the fabric.

SEFAR® Architecture’s newest addition to Google’s campus, is part of Google’s deal to lease four office buildings in Sunnyvale at Moffett Park’s Technology Corners. The buildings will be able to accommodate as many as 2,900 employees.

To learn more about SEFAR Architecture’s TENARA Fabric, visit http://www.tenarafabric.com.