World’s Tallest Tensile Structure Khan Shatyr Entertainment Centre

This is the Khan Shatyr Entertainment Centre. This is the world’s largest tent that opens in Kazakhstan. This unique building was designed by foster + partners. This 150m tall tent-like structure encloses an elliptical area of more than 100,000 m2. This building hosts a wide variety of entertainment and leisure facilities, retail, cafes, restaurants, cinemas and a water park. There’re also a flexible space to accommodate a number of different events and exhibitions.

This tent is made up of a tri-layer ETFE envelope. It shelters the interiors  while allowing daylight to wash in. A system is in place to monitor the interior temperature while warm air currents are directed up the inner surface of the fabric in order to avoid the formation of ice on the inside of the envelope during the winter. The vents at the top of the tents can be opened to encourage stack-effect ventilation during the summer. There’re also low-level jets that can keep the temperature down by directing cool air across the space.