The Canary Wharf Crossrail Station with a curved timber structure and triangular ETFE membrane

timber construction with etfe membrane

canary wharf crossrail station – infrastructure project with a hybrid façade

London’s Canary Wharf Crossrail Station showcases the perfect synergy between traditional timber and modern ETFE membrane architecture. This infrastructure project features transparent and semi-transparent ETFE membranes that combine with an organic timber structure to create a technically sophisticated hybrid façade.
 

lightweight and durable: timber plus etfe membrane 

The combination of timber construction and ETFE membranes is particularly resource-efficient. Timber is a renewable resource, while ETFE membranes are extremely lightweight, durable and recyclable.The ETFE membrane cushions were printed with three different dot patterns depending on the desired total solar energy transmittance (g value), and the inner film was designed to be transparent or opaque depending on the use of the space behind it.

Façade type
Membrane structure
Client
Canary Wharf Contractors (Crossrail) Ltd.
Architect
Foster + Partners
Awards

London Construction Award 2015
Structural Award 2015
Structural Timber Award 2015

Side view of the Canary Wharf Crossrail Station with triangular ETFE membrane, metal band and ventilation slots
The cantilevered, triangular timber structure of Canary Wharf Crossrail Station from below. The London railway station is located on the water
People at Canary Wharf station with a rounded façade made of timber beams and ETFE membrane
A steel node connects the wooden beams of the timber structure for Canary Wharf Station

innovative nodes for a unique timber structure

The curved shape of the building’s exterior is achieved by a total of 564 individually designed, 3D-planned steel nodes, each connecting six laminated timber beams. This innovative connection allows the timber structure to progressively twist along the diagonals. The nodes also create the triangular grid of the timber structure, into which the 780 ETFE membrane cushions are fitted. Additionally, seele developed a new profile-node system to attach the ETFE cushions as discreetly as possible.

#madebyseele

Design, detailed planning and installation of the barrel-shaped roof structure — structural design of the membrane envelope — production of air-supported ETFE cushions in various triangular shapes — development of node systems, metal flashing, and rain gutters

10,000 sqm
membrane roof
778
ETFE cushions
564
steel nodes
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