Fabricoil® Reimagined for University of Delaware’s Award-Winning iSuite

TUALATIN, OR…The University of Delaware College of Electrical and Computer Engineering set out to create one of the most dynamic cyber ranges in the country. By using non-traditional materials, like Cascade Architectural’s undulating coiled wire fabric walls and ceiling treatments, the new iSuite boasts an impeccable, award-winning design.

Designed by Page, the former metal foundry turned iSuite includes a cyber range, collaborative hub, and a makerspace. Working with the college directly, the facility was designed using Page’s 3D printers and a student-created virtual reality model, developing a half-scale mockup to demonstrate that inverting the metal fabric would in fact be successful.

“We’ve seen metal fabric draped as a catenary before, but this is the first time someone has used Fabricoil® in the ‘wrong direction,’” says Lou Krupnick, AIA, Associate Principal at Page. “We reversed the fabric and used its tensile properties to produce a curve that way.”

The space features 750 sq. ft. of 5/16”-15-gauge aluminum Fabricoil with a powder-coated satin copper finish. The resulting ceiling treatment produces “true curves,” with the coiled wire fabric wall constructed in a similar fashion. University officials credit the innovative space with an “immediate and noticeable increase in enrollments,” helping the school project a particular image that truly speaks to the students.

Students enrolled in the program can utilize the facility’s equipment and technology for cyber defense training and development. Today, there is a growing demand for cybersecurity professionals, and the new iSuite gives future generations the opportunity to create and learn the profession in a wholly unique environment.

“Coiled wire fabric really fit into the electrical genre of the collaborative space,” adds Krupnick. “The aesthetic capability and design opportunities with Fabricoil are boundless, and we are very pleased to have utilized the material in an all-new way.”

Hovering over the collaborative hub, the coiled wire fabric weaves through room-wide lights providing a well-lit atmosphere and effective light diffusion throughout the space. In addition, the coiled wire fabric walls add dimension to the space without obstructing views for students and faculty.

Fabricoil is a versatile woven metal fabric with exceptional material strength, ideal for interior and exterior applications of any scale. As demonstrated in the iSuite, Fabricoil allows architects to meet unique project criteria without sacrificing their design vision.

Fabricoil products also carry Declare labels with the International Living Future Institute.

The state-of-the-art facility was recognized with a Construction Excellence Award by the Delaware Contractors Association for being the most technologically innovative project of 2017.

The University of Delaware’s iSuite was completed in 2017. The project team included architect, Page, Washington, D.C.; the University of Delaware College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Newark, DE; and construction firm, Bancroft Construction Company, Wilmington, DE.

Cascade Architectural systems are specifically created to deliver design and functional performance for a variety of building applications. For more information, visit http://www.Cascade-Architectural.com.