Fabric “racing fins” attract fans

The world’s largest indoor theme park gives visitors the chance to experience fast and furious fun, Ferrari style. Ferrari World, on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, takes the legendary Italian sports car to new speeds, with a family-friendly attraction offering rides, films, shops, restaurants and lodging, accented in red and steeped in all things Ferrari. The client wanted existing internal walls to mimic an air intake system of the iconic car through a series of fabric “fins.”

Fabric Architecture Ltd., Gloucester, U.K., rose to the occasion by designing and manufacturing 2,063 tensile wall-mounted façade fins to dress up the theme park.

Fins are mounted to every internal wall façade, and each is unique, varying in size from 5m to 20m in length. The fins are constructed from extruded aluminium clad in tensioned silicone glass weave fabric (an estimated 45,000m²). The glass weave fabric allows 40% light transmission, allowing the fins to reflect and transmit LED lights and video. The fin array follows the curvature of all internal buildings, conceals building utilities, reduces noise and commands considerable attention from visitors.