Urban Space Station

In the spring of 2016 Octatube has produced and installed a bespoke steel frame for a temporary art space in Dortmund, Germany: the Urban Space Station. The project is characterized by a series of unique steel arches on a steel frame with an ETFE membrane skin.

The design of the Urban Space Station is from Natalie Jeremijenko and has been technically developed by Octatube. The object consists of a steel supporting frame of HEA beams with 9 arches mounted on top, each of which is compiled of two circular hollow section elements with a diameter of 89 millimeters. Each of these 9 pairs of tubes is joined at the top by a hidden connection. Because the unique shape of the art work, the arches are all different in shape, size and angular displacement. Therefore each tubular section has been rolled with multiple radii and cut in 3D to connect horizontally at the foot plates. The steel tubes are assembled on site and mounted to the frame.

The resulting framework has been clad with an ETFE skin. The membrane is composed of separate foil cushions that are fixed to an aluminium profile onto the steel structure. A climate system with an overpressure ventilation system gives the art work its final shape.