Architecture Biennale 2012 in Venice

Umkirch, 12. December 2012

At the 13th Architecture Biennale, Gerriets provided a complex curtain track system for the NAi (Netherlands Architecture Institute) for the Dutch pavilion in Venice. The exhibition, which was directed by the architect David Chipperfield this year, welcomed more than 178,000 visitors and was again an exceptional architectural event.

With the designer Petra Blaisse (Inside Outside) along with the official builder of the Netherlands Architecture Institute (NAI), an unconventional space dividing idea was created. Using a 145 m CUE TRACK 2 chain track a 120 kg heavy curtain also designed by Petra Blaisse was moved around the room in varying configurations. This allowed a variety of different environments to be created through the use of light and space depending on the position of the curtain.

The drive of the chain track system was provided by six variable-speed drives. The drives had to be designed and manufactured to ensure the continuous operation of the system (90 days, 10 hours a day) even in the event of a drive failure. The system was operated by a free programmable PLC control.