Sefar: Refined lightness

The special fabrics for architectural applications are geared to the diverse requirements of indoor and outdoor spaces. Thanks to their high level of flexibility, they can be individually adapted to the respective circumstances. There are essentially three application 
areas: fabric&weather, fabric&light and -fabric&glass.

Light-transmitting PTFE fabrics (fabric&weather) are suited for applications requiring maximum tensile strength values in outdoor environments, e.g. membrane and lamellar structures, sun blinds, screens, large and small foldable structures, awnings, etc. They are permanently UV-resistant and colourfast, phthalate-free, weather-resistant, water- and dirt-repellent. Wide-ranging fabric- and light-transmitting specifications mean that they offer both high functional and aesthetic value. The design freedom with them is virtually unlimited, as the example of the mosque of Medina al-Munawwarah impressively shows.

Inside, translucent light-transmitting PVDF fabric (fabric&light) is used in the form of luminous ceilings and walls, ceiling panels, lamellar structures, partitions, etc. The excellent light transmission rates of ≥ 90 % mean that a particularly uniform illumination is achieved. In addition, the fabrics are acoustically effective and help improve the spatial atmosphere. Varied solutions for different spatial settings are possible through modular construction principles and installation concepts with and without frames (Lightframe or Lightceiling). Another field of application is opened up with Cieluma, an integrated architectural lighting system in which light-transmitting and acoustic requirements are optimally combined with each other. The black high-precision 
woven fabric SEFAR Architecture VISION (fabric&glass), which is coated or printed on one or both sides and enclosed in laminated glass, is especially suited for use on facades. The fabrics allow visibility from inside to outside, but reduce visibility from the outside and deliver superior light-transmitting and thermal energy values. At the SBB (Swiss Federal Railways) main office building in Bern Wankdorf, for example, the facades are made up of coloured, adjustable glass fins that alter the building’s appearance depending on the sun’s position.

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Text: Katja Reich