Large ETFE film roof completed at Rennes Station, France

～ETFE film was adopted for the roof and facade of the station building as part of a large-scale redevelopment project.

Taiyo Kogyo has been engaged in the construction of the membrane roof and facade for the redevelopment of the Rennes train station in Bretagne, France.

The project, which was awarded to Taiyo Europe GmbH, involves the construction of a large ETFE film roof that will run the length of Rennes Station, a large terminal station with a daily passenger capacity of over 18,000, which is divided between the south and north sides of the station. The redevelopment of the station was planned to facilitate the smooth flow of visitors to and from the station, which was about to be expanded with additional rail lines.

The new station building was designed to resemble the fog and trees that symbolize Brittany, and the roof and facade were made of the high-performance film ETFE. The number of layers and film thicknesses vary from 7 to 7 layers. A total roof area of 3,500 square meters and a facade of 1,000 square meters were completed using 128 panels, combining seven different ETFE film cushion structures, each with a different number of layers and film thickness.

The roof with a light control function on the south side is designed to change the degree of overlap between the printed surfaces by using internal pressure to move the middle layer of the cushion, thereby changing the solar heat gain rate. This allows for the creation of a bright space during the daytime without the glare and glare caused by direct shading, and at nighttime, the built-in LED lighting illuminates the surrounding area. The station building is designed to span multiple levels, and the transparency of the ETFE film allows natural light to reach the lower levels.

ETFE film is widely used in buildings around the world, particularly in Europe, where its transparency, durability, and free form and lighting effects are used to create a wide variety of facilities. The translucency, durability, free form and lighting effects of ETFE film are used to decorate a wide variety of facilities. Taiyo Kogyo has been involved in many iconic ETFE film structures, including the Mercedes-Benz Stadium (USA) and the Toyosu Running Stadium (Tokyo), and we look forward to continuing our participation in innovative, value-added buildings in the future.

About Taiyo Europe GmbH

Founded: 2004
President: Frank Höreth
Location: Sauerlach, Germany

About Rennes Station

Owner: SNCF Gares & Connexions
Property management: SNCF Gares & Connexions
Design: Agence Duthillieul / Atelier d’Architecture Gare & Connexions
Structural design: AREP / MAP 3
Membrane structural design: LEICHT France