Tropical Biome Under a Texlon® ETFE Roof
‘The Leaf‘ encloses a tropical biome that features a six-story, free-flowing waterfall and pond, as well as a canopy walkway that gives guests a bird’s-eye view of the space. There is 6,000 m² of our Texlon® ETFE system enclosing the building. The Leaf is an indoor horticultural attraction at Assiniboine Park, where visitors will journey through four distinct biomes; the Hartley and Heather Richardson Tropical Biome, Mediterranean Biome, Babs Asper Display House, and the Shirley Richardson Butterfly Garden. Visitors can experience a stunning showcase of diverse plants that shape our lives across the world. The environment indoors remains a tropical, warm paradise throughout the cold winter months in Winnipeg, Canada.
The Mediterranean in Canada
The different plants highlighted in the Mediterranean Biome are from Greece, Italy, South Africa, South West Australia, Central Chile, and United States (California). The climates for each of these countries offer climatic zones characterized by moist, cool winters and hot, dry summers. The high thermal performance of the Texlon® ETFE system makes it the perfect choice for a climatically challenging project like The Leaf. The climate inside the biomes can be controlled by applying printing to the foil and by introducing additional foil-layers. There is a sizeable seating area for visitors to sit, relax and enjoy the scenery under the ETFE roof.
Canada’s Tallest Indoor Waterfall
The water feature at The Leaf is the tallest indoor waterfall in Canada. It cascades down through the middle of the entire enclosed building, into a koi pond. To either side of the water feature is a single-layer ETFE curtain wall separating the biomes.
Butterflies Under Texlon ETFE
An elevator will take you six stories to the Shirley Richardson Butterfly Garden, where visitors of all ages can interact with some of the most beautiful butterfly species from around the globe. This tropical paradise is open year round. The Butterfly Garden spans across the Leaf above the variety of plant life thriving below.
Design and Engineering at its Best
Vector Foiltec was a crucial part of design and engineering team. The ETFE roof at The Leaf is the first of it’s kind. The shape and complexity were ongoing challenges that we overcome by such a talented team of experts. Over 6,000 m2 of Texlon ETFE were incorporated to the roof and curtain dividers.
Information
| Date | 2022 |
|---|---|
| Lieu | Winnipeg, Canada |
| Secteur | Botanic |
| Taille | 6,000 m² |
| Structure | Steel |
| Type | Roof |
| Architectes | KPMB |
Photo Credit: 360-Degree Scene: Vector Foiltec, top left, bottom left + right: Richard Seck Architectural Photography
Transparency is Key
Texlon® ETFE foils are incredibly transparent and allow high levels of light transmission into buildings. Natural light and ultraviolet UV-A light are essential for plant growth. A single layer of 100 µm foil allows more than 90% of visible light and 80% of UV-A rays to pass through. This leads to a so-called bactericidal effect of light transmission, a natural phenomenon that kills bacteria: As a result, plants thrive as if they were in their natural environment. Another benefit of using ETFE is that no artificial fertilizers or pesticides are needed for the plants inside the biomes.
Using the Texlon® system allows zoos and conservatories to experience better plant growth. This allows for the plants and animals to live in an environment as similar as possible to their natural habitat. Check out our other botanical and zoo projects to learn more!