Kaifort Membrane Structure Company News

Landscape within Scenery, Scenery within Landscape – Kaifort Membrane Structure Sets New Benchmark for Scenic Area Sunshades

Driven by the dual forces of upgrading tourism consumption​ and enhancing quality and efficiency​ in scenic areas, the construction of tourist facilities is transitioning from “meeting functional needs” to “creating experiences.” Recently, the Tensile Membrane Landscape Sunshade project, designed and built by Kaifort Membrane Structure for a renowned 4A-level tourist attraction, has been officially completed. With its innovative design concepts, exquisite construction techniques, and exceptional user experience, it has set a new benchmark for scenic facility construction and demonstrated the company’s strong capabilities in the field of landscape architecture and membrane structures.

I. Project Background: Responding to New Demands for Scenic Area Enhancement

As domestic tourism shifts from sightseeing to leisure vacations, visitors’ expectations for their travel experiences are increasingly higher. Traditional scenic facilities often suffer from issues such as prioritizing function over experience, practicality over aesthetics, and construction over integration, failing to meet the needs of modern visitors. During its effort to achieve National 5A-level status, a famous 4A-level scenic area identified the upgrade of its visitor service facilities as a key project, hoping to enhance the area’s overall image and visitor satisfaction through high-quality construction.

The scenic area management set clear requirements: the new sunshade facilities must not only provide basic shelter from sun and rain but also become a highlight and a popular photo spot (a “social media check-in point”)​ for the area; they must be aesthetically pleasing yet harmoniously integrated with the natural environment; they must be sturdy, durable, yet also intelligent and eco-friendly; construction must be rapid while minimizing impact on daily operations.

Faced with this series of demanding requirements, Kaifort Membrane Structure assembled a crack team​ to form a dedicated project group for in-depth on-site research. The team was stationed at the site​ for a week, observing visitor behavior, interviewing different visitor groups, and holding multiple discussions with area managers, guides, and vendors, gathering substantial first-hand information. Ultimately, the team proposed the design philosophy: “We are not building facilities, but creating experiences; we are not adding structures, but cultivating new landscapes.”​ This concept received high approval from the scenic area management.

II. Design Breakthrough: Paradigm Shift from “Building” to “Growing”

Traditional scenic facilities are often “placed” within the environment, while Kaifort’s design allows the architecture to “grow” from the environment. This shift in design philosophy led to comprehensive breakthroughs:

• Organic Form Generation:​ Instead of selecting forms from a pre-existing library, the design team started from the site’s inherent characteristics, letting forms “grow naturally”​ through parametric design tools. Algorithms processed parameters like site slope, vegetation, sightlines, wind direction, and sunlight, undergoing tens of thousands of iterations to generate the form that best fit the site. These forms appear freely random but are underpinned by rigorous logic—each surface’s curvature is optimized for smooth drainage; each high point corresponds to structural support for proper load-bearing; each opening frames an optimal view.
• Flowing, Permeable Space:​ Traditional sunshades are often enclosed or semi-enclosed “shelters.” This project creates flowing, permeable “places.”​ Intentional gaps between membrane structures allow sunlight to cast dappled patterns, breezes to pass through freely, and sightlines to extend. The space has no rigid boundaries but gradually dissolves into the environment. Visitors underneath are sheltered yet remain connected to nature; they experience a sense of place without feeling confined.
• Authentic Material Expression:​ The design rejects false decoration, allowing each material to express itself authentically. The mechanical precision of the steel structure, the soft tension of the membrane, the craftsmanship of the connections, and the texture of the paving are all fully expressed. Material selection considered not only performance but also changes over time—the development of patina on steel, the subtle luster variation of the membrane, the aging of stone—all were incorporated into the design, allowing the architecture to grow richer with time.
• Deep Ecological Integration:​ The project employs multiple ecological technologies, but more importantly, it thoroughly implements an ecological philosophy. All design decisions considered ecological impact: foundations were positioned to avoid existing trees, letting the architecture “weave through” rather than “clear” the woods; collected rainwater becomes part of the landscape; material selection prioritized local sourcing​ to reduce transport energy; construction waste was sorted on-site, achieving a 90% recovery rate. The structure is not an ecological burden but part of the ecosystem.

III. Technical Challenges: Solving Complex Form Construction Difficulties

Transforming free-form curves into physical structures required overcoming​ a series of technical challenges:

• Precise Realization of Complex Curved Surfaces:​ Membrane structures are a classic case where “form is force, and force is form”—the shape determines structural forces, and forces influence the final shape. The design team employed nonlinear form-finding analysis, using advanced algorithms like the force density method and dynamic relaxation to determine the optimal prestress distribution and geometry. The coordinates of each point, the prestress in each cable, and the tension in each membrane panel were precisely calculated. The final built form’s deviation from the design model was controlled within 3mm.
• Achieving Long-Span Column-Free Space:​ The maximum span reaches 18 meters. The challenge was to achieve this without intermediate columns. Structural engineers innovatively employed a “cable-membrane hybrid structure”​ system. The primary load-bearing system is a prestressed cable net, with the membrane as the “skin” maintaining the curved shape and the cables as the “skeleton” transferring loads, both working synergistically​ to create light, ethereal large spaces. Structural steel usage is only 35 kg/㎡, half that of traditional steel structures.
• Durability Assurance in Harsh Environments:​ The scenic area environment is complex and variable—hot, rainy summers; cold, windy winters; potential salt spray; and intense UV radiation. The project adopted a comprehensive protection system: the steel structure uses G355 high-strength steel with hot-dip galvanizing (coating thickness 86μm); the membrane uses a PVDF surface coating with added UV inhibitors, anti-aging agents, and self-cleaning agents; all fasteners are 316 stainless steel, with titanium alloy anti-corrosion layers added at critical points. The design service life reaches 30 years.
• Rapid Construction Technology System:​ The construction window in the scenic area was only 45 days, demanding high speed and efficiency. The project adopted a “full-process digitalization + full prefabrication”​ construction model. All components were prefabricated off-site, with on-site work being essentially “assembly.” BIM technology enabled virtual construction in advance, resolving all potential clashes. Each component had a QR code; scanning it revealed the installation location, sequence, and method.​ Ultimately, the actual construction period was 42 days, 3 days ahead of schedule.