Vaduz Centrum

Two years ago, my director Olga Fishchenko and I were strolling through the center of Vaduz, the capital of Liechtenstein. Despite the light rain, we admired the cozy downtown and thought about the future. It was a fair, and since it was raining, the fair was mostly filled with vendors. Sympathizing with the vendors, the director suddenly suggested considering how to cover this promenade with a shell, while unifying the colorful stalls with a single style. Among the existing buildings, restaurants, and hotels, this is a rather complex and interesting task. Then the idea arose about gases and shells, which, unlike traditional Frye or Fuller designs, would require minimal initial investment and minimal discomfort during installation work.
The main players in this project are helium, hydrogen, and donuts. These donuts, or tori, are made of ETFE and are packed in cushions, also made of ETFE film. If hydrogen wins, the film should be reinforced with Kevlar or aramid. For visual impact and to reduce wind loads, it would be advisable to develop and implement programmable cable tensioners.

Architectural shells, canopies, and awnings are used in Europe to transform city squares, markets, and streets into comfortable all-season spaces. They provide protection from rain and sun while maintaining a sense of open space.
Here are the most famous examples of such structures:
1. Metropol Parasol ("Mushrooms of Seville") - Seville, Spain
This is one of the largest wooden structures in the world, located in the Plaza de la Encarnación.

Architizer
Function: A huge lattice structure ("mushrooms") creates shade over an archaeological museum, market, and open plaza. The roof features a panoramic promenade.
Characteristic: Designed as a "modern landmark" in a dense medieval development.

Architizer
2. Vila Nova de Famalicão Market - Portugal
Function: A modernization of a traditional market, where a perforated metal canopy covers the plaza, creating pleasant shade and protecting it from the rain. Feature: The canopy provides a comfortable retail environment while maintaining a visual connection with the surrounding urban context.

World Architecture Community
3. Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II — Milan, Italy
One of the oldest and most beautiful examples of a street covered by a transparent roof.
Function: A glass dome and vaults cover the cruciform street connecting the squares in front of La Scala and the Duomo.
Feature: Creates the feeling of a "city living room"—a protected, bright space with cafes and shops.
4. Plaza de la Encarnación (archaeological site) — Seville, Spain
Function: A canopy over the archaeological site, which became part of the Metropol Parasol structure, protecting the ancient ruins and creating a shaded space for visitors. 5. Santa Caterina Market Roofing - Barcelona, Spain
Function: Although the market itself is a building, its roof and overall configuration act as a shell, transforming the surrounding space and improving access to the market.

reusingrooftops.com
6. Temporary and Contemporary Tent Structures (Widely Available)
Example: Using ETFE (ethylenetetrafluoroethylene) cushions to cover stations and public areas, as at Crystal Palace Station in London.
Function: Creating lightweight, translucent, corrosion-resistant coverings that protect against precipitation.

Novum Structures
These examples demonstrate how contemporary architectural solutions are helping to adapt the historic centers of European cities to new environmental and social conditions.

Transparent / foil shell structures - 36 400 m2
Helium full volume - 34 600 m3
Area of inner chambers - 150 000 m2
Helium volume of inner chambers - 18 000 m3
Usable area - 9 000 m2
Rigging/slings - 1 900 lfm
Lighting - 962 pc

Tent:
Surface area of the tent - 3 800 m2
Volume of inner chambers - 1 900 m3
Usable area - 5600 m2