Palma
Mallorca – Spain
An iconic tensile architecture for the commercial heart of Palma de Mallorca
About
Porto Pi Shopping Center in Palma de Mallorca has been enhanced with several shading structures featuring Tenseo Frontside 381.
A Modernized Landmark Enhancing the Visitor Experience
Located in Palma de Mallorca’s waterfront district since the mid-1990s, Porto Pi Shopping Center has become a landmark destination for shopping and entertainment. As the city’s first and, for many years, only shopping center of its kind, it enjoys stunning views over the harbor and the Porto Pi Lighthouse. A major destination for both residents and tourists, the multi-level complex offers a wide range of amenities, including restaurants, fashion retailers, and leisure facilities, welcoming thousands of visitors every day.
To provide effective sun protection across its outdoor areas while creating a distinctive contemporary architectural identity, an innovative design solution was developed for one section of the complex. In collaboration with engineering firms Eos and Mecanismo, and Lastra&Zorrilla, a specialist in the design and fabrication of tensile architectural structures, the project focused on the creation of unique three-dimensional shade sails combining aesthetics, functionality, and long-term durability.
Tenseo Frontside 381 for Sculptural Shade Sails
To meet the project’s shading and comfort objectives, Lastra&Zorrilla, together with Eos and Mecanismo, designed a series of steel support structures covered with nearly 2,200 m² of Serge Ferrari Group’s Tenseo Frontside 381 membrane. The overlapping three-dimensional shade sails, supported by slender steel masts, create the impression of colorful clouds floating above the pedestrian walkways.
Featuring Serge Ferrari Group’s exclusive Précontraint technology, Tenseo Frontside 381 blocks up to 85% of the sun’s heat while allowing natural daylight to filter through, creating comfortable shaded areas with soft, diffused light. Renowned for its exceptional long-term dimensional stability, Tenseo Frontside 381 is an ideal solar protection solution for lightweight, low-carbon façades as well as complex tensile architectural structures. Its outstanding mechanical strength ensures long-lasting performance, even under demanding climatic conditions such as those found in exposed coastal environments.
Project Contributors:
Engineering: EOS – Mecanismo – L&Z
Fabrication and Installation: Lastra&Zorrilla
Copyright: © Lastra y Zorrilla