Textile interiors and facades, also called architectural fabric systems, stretch fabric ceilings or fabric facade cladding, use tensioned architectural fabric as the finished surface of a building. Inside, the fabric is pulled over a frame to make ceilings, baffles and wall panels that conceal services, even out the light and soak up sound. Outside, fabric screens on a steel or aluminium frame stand in front of the building to shade the glass, hide services or give the elevation a character of its own while air still passes through.
ShadeCo India Private Limited is a textile interiors and facades manufacturer and supplier in India. We design, fabricate, supply and install stretched fabric ceilings, acoustic baffles and clouds, fabric-wrapped and backlit wall panels, and flat, shaped or open-mesh tensile fabric facades for offices, airports, metro stations, hotels, malls, showrooms, auditoriums, convention centres and institutions, working with the architect and interior designer from design development to installation.
Our textile work falls into two groups: fabric systems for interior ceilings and walls, and tensile fabric facades for building exteriors. Select a system below to enquire about your project.
Tensioned fabric ceilings, suspended sails, baffles and wall panels for lobbies, atriums, auditoriums and offices. The fabric hides ducts and services, spreads light evenly when lit from behind or above, and with an acoustic backing helps cut echo in large, hard-surfaced rooms.
Exterior fabric panels or screens tensioned on a steel or aluminium frame in front of a building. They shade glazing and walls from direct sun, screen services and parking levels, and give the elevation a distinctive look, while open-mesh fabric lets air and filtered daylight through.
Interior fabric systems are made by stretching fabric over a lightweight aluminium or steel frame so it sits flat and wrinkle-free. A ceiling can be a single flat plane that hides the services above it, or a series of shaped sails and curved forms that give a lobby or atrium a feature ceiling. Hanging baffles and clouds are used where the ceiling is high and the room needs acoustic treatment without a full false ceiling.
Wall systems follow the same principle. Fabric-wrapped panels can carry an acoustic backing, a printed graphic or a brand image, and backlit panels with LED lighting behind translucent fabric work as large light boxes in retail and hospitality interiors.
A tensile fabric facade is a second skin placed in front of the building wall or glazing. Flat panels are tensioned inside rectangular or triangular frames, while shaped panels are pulled into curved, three-dimensional forms that give the elevation depth and movement. Open-mesh fabrics are common on parking structures, service areas and stairwells, where air needs to pass through but the view from outside should be screened.
Because the fabric shades the glass before sunlight reaches it, a facade screen helps keep the building cooler inside, and the frame can also be used to hide air-conditioning units, water tanks and other rooftop services.
Different fabrics suit interior and exterior work. The table lists the types most often used and where each one fits.
| Fabric | Typical Use | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| PVC-Coated Polyester | Exterior facade panels and screens | Durable outdoors, wide colour range, can be welded into shaped panels |
| PVC Mesh Fabric | Facade screens, parking and service areas | Open weave lets air and filtered light through, shades glazing |
| PTFE-Coated Glass Fibre | Long-life exterior facades | Very durable, stays clean in rain, does not burn |
| Polyester Stretch Fabric | Interior ceilings and wall panels | Smooth finish, printable, suitable for backlighting |
| Acoustic Fabric Systems | Auditoriums, offices and halls | Fabric face with sound-absorbing backing to reduce echo |
Each project is planned around a few practical questions. For light, we look at how translucent the fabric should be, whether it will be lit from behind, and how daylight from windows or skylights will fall on it. For acoustics, the area of fabric and the backing material are chosen to bring echo in a hall, auditorium or open office down to a comfortable level.
Fire performance is checked against the needs of the building, and fabrics with suitable fire ratings are selected, especially for public interiors. On facades, the frame and fixings are designed for wind load on the building, and access for cleaning and maintenance is planned from the start.
Fabric facades are often considered as an alternative to ACP or metal cladding. The table compares the two on the points that usually decide the choice.
| Feature | Fabric Facade | ACP or Metal Cladding |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | Very light, with a slim supporting frame | Heavier panels and sub-frame |
| Air and Light | Mesh fabric lets air and filtered daylight through | Solid, blocks air and light |
| Use over Glazing | Can shade windows while keeping a view out | Covers solid wall areas only |
| Shapes | Curves and three-dimensional forms are easy to make | Mostly flat panels, curves add cost |
| Replacement | Individual panels can be replaced | Individual panels can be replaced |
Architects choose fabric when they want a surface that does more than one job, often shading, lighting and sound control together, without adding much weight to the building.
Inside buildings, fabric ceilings and baffles are used in corporate lobbies, atriums, airport terminals, metro concourses, mall courtyards and hotel ballrooms. Auditoriums, theatres, convention centres and lecture halls use acoustic fabric panels on walls and ceilings, and retail stores and showrooms use printed or backlit fabric for display and branding.
On the outside, fabric facades are used on office towers, hospitals, educational campuses, multi-level parking buildings and commercial complexes. They are also used to screen rooftop equipment, to cover staircases and service shafts, and to give an older building a new face without replacing its walls.
Cost depends first on the area to be covered and the fabric selected. PTFE-coated glass fibre costs more than PVC-coated polyester, and acoustic or printed fabrics cost more than plain ones. The complexity of the shape matters too, since flat panels are simpler to make and install than curved or three-dimensional forms.
The supporting frame, lighting integration, fire-rating requirements, working height, scaffolding or access equipment, and the project location all add to the final figure.
For an estimate, please share drawings or photographs of the space or elevation, the approximate area, and whether the system is for an interior or exterior application.
Textile architecture depends on accurate patterning and tensioning, so most of the work is done in design and in the workshop before the fabric reaches site.
ShadeCo India designs, fabricates and installs architectural fabric systems for building interiors and exteriors. Our scope covers the supporting frames, fabric panels, tensioning and installation, coordinated with the project architect, interior designer and services consultants.
Fabric ceilings and facades draw on the same skills as tensile structures: patterning fabric so it sits smooth and tight, designing frames for the forces involved, and detailing the edges and fixings. We have been doing this kind of work since 2010, and our in-house team can prepare the 3D model, frame design and fabric patterns for a design that the architect has sketched.
As we also build tensile structures and ETFE systems, a project that needs an entrance canopy, a courtyard roof or a skylight alongside its fabric interior or facade can be handled by one team.
For related architectural fabric and roofing options, you can also explore our tensile structures, ETFE membrane structures, awnings and canopies, and polycarbonate roofing.
ShadeCo India’s architectural fabric work includes the tensile canopy at Elements One Mall in Gurugram and the atrium roof at KBN Hospital in Gulbarga. These exterior roofing installations are part of the wider portfolio available for architects and property owners to review.
See our projects page for the project details. Interior ceilings and facade panels need their own brief covering the supporting surface, panel layout and access for maintenance. Material requirements, lighting interfaces and any acoustic or fire-performance criteria should be agreed for the intended application.
ShadeCo India provides textile interior and facade design, fabrication, and installation from Delhi NCR to major states across North, Central, and West India, including Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar, and Maharashtra. As we execute projects across India, we also take up architectural fabric work in other states, depending on the project scope and site requirements.
Our team regularly works on projects in key cities such as New Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Lucknow, Noida, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Shimla, Baddi, Dehradun, Haridwar, Bhopal, Indore, Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Patna, Muzaffarpur, Mumbai, and Pune, along with Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kochi, and other cities across India.
To help us prepare a design proposal and estimate, please share the architectural drawings or photographs of the space or elevation, the approximate area to be covered, and whether the system is for an interior or exterior application. Please also mention any requirements for lighting, acoustics, colour or fire rating, along with the project location.
Call ShadeCo India on +91-9873975818, email info@shadecoindia.com, or share your project details through our contact page.
FAQ
Textile interiors are architectural fabric systems used inside buildings, such as tensioned fabric ceilings, suspended sails, baffles and wall panels. They hide services, diffuse light, reduce echo and give lobbies, auditoriums, offices and retail spaces a distinctive finish.
A tensile fabric facade is a layer of architectural fabric tensioned on a steel or aluminium frame in front of a building wall or glazing. It shades the building, screens services or parking levels, and gives the elevation a distinctive look while letting air and filtered daylight pass through.
Yes, when the right fabric is used. PVC-coated polyester and PVC mesh are made for outdoor exposure to sun, rain and dust, and PTFE-coated glass fibre is used where a very long service life is needed. Durability also depends on the frame design, the fixing details and regular cleaning.
Yes. Fabric ceilings, baffles and wall panels with a sound-absorbing backing reduce echo in auditoriums, conference halls, restaurants and open-plan offices. The amount of fabric and the type of backing are chosen according to the size and use of the room.
Fire-rated architectural fabrics are available for both interior and exterior use. The fabric is selected to meet the fire requirements of the building and its use, which is especially important in public spaces such as airports, malls and auditoriums.
Yes. LED lights can be placed behind translucent fabric to create backlit ceilings and wall panels that work like large light boxes, or fitted around and above fabric sails to light them indirectly. Lighting is planned along with the frame so the light falls evenly.
The cost depends on the area, the fabric type, the complexity of the shape, the supporting frame, lighting, fire-rating requirements, access for installation and the project location. Share drawings or photographs and the approximate area with ShadeCo India for an estimate.
Interior fabric can usually be dusted or vacuumed, and panels can be taken down for cleaning if needed. Exterior fabric is washed with water and a mild cleaner, and the frame, fixings and tension are checked during periodic inspections.
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