Outdoor Tensile Structure Manufacturer
Tensile structures for the open air — courtyards, plazas, promenades, event lawns, waterfronts and public spaces — a tensioned membrane on a galvanised steel frame, engineered for the local wind and the monsoon, and detailed to last on an exposed site. Built by Ekra Decor since 1998.
- Engineered for wind and the monsoon
- Corrosion-aware for exposed and coastal sites
- Open, self-draining forms
- Engineered to IS 875, IS 800 & IS 456
Engineering Trusted by India’s Leading Names
28+ years delivering tensile structures for corporate campuses, industrial groups, and institutional developments — built with fabric technology from the world’s leading membrane manufacturers.
TATA Motors
L&T
Reliance
Adani
Mahindra
Godrej
DLF
ITC Ltd
Maruti Suzuki
GMR Group
JSW Steel
Prestige Group
Sobha
Siemens
Tata Chemicals
Tata Tele Business Services
Power Grid Corporation
Emaar MGF
National Law University Delhi
UPES Dehradun
Vasant Valley School
Aditya Birla Group
Amity University
Vikram Solar
Tractors India
Mazda Colours
Millennium Structurals
Sehwag International School
BSBK Pvt. Ltd.
17 Miles Hotel
Rich Harvest School
The Imperial New Delhi
Moore Constructions
Mehra Construction
Ramprastha
Minda NexGenTech (UNO Minda)
Yashmay Public School
Gyan Mandir Foundation
Omega Developers
SPEC
Serge Ferrari
Mehler
Heytex
Versaid
Pait
How an outdoor tensile structure handles weather
An outdoor tensile structure spends its whole life exposed, so wind, rain, sun and the local atmosphere all have to be designed for from the start. Done properly it needs very little attention for years; done cheaply it is the first thing to fail in a storm.
Wind
The design starts from the basic wind speed for the site's wind zone under IS 875 Part 3, adjusted for terrain and height. The form is shaped and the anchorage sized so the structure stays in equilibrium under both pressure and uplift; ridge and valley cables carry the peak loads back to the foundations, which are usually governed by uplift.
Rain
The membrane is shaped so water always runs to defined low points and off the structure — never held in a pocket where it can pond, add weight and stretch the fabric. Depending on the site the low points either discharge freely to a drained strip or feed an integrated gutter.
Sun and UV
Uncoated fabric chalks and weakens under years of UV. Architectural membranes carry a protective topcoat — PVDF lacquer on PVC, or the inherently stable PTFE surface — which is what gives them a 15 to 30 year outdoor life.
Coastal and industrial exposure
Near the sea or a plant, salt and pollutants attack the steel. Ekra Decor increases the galvanising thickness, uses stainless fittings and specifies fabrics that clean easily, so the structure is not quietly corroding behind the membrane.
Maintenance
A yearly visual check of the fittings and cable tensions, a wash to keep the fabric performing, and a re-tension if a large membrane has relaxed. That is the whole maintenance regime for most outdoor structures.
Fabric options are on the PVDF and materials pages; for shade-focused work see tensile shade structures. Send your location for a wind-zone-specific design.
Outdoor tensile structure forms
Outdoors, the form is chosen for how fast it sheds water and how it behaves in an unobstructed wind.
Conical / hypar
Peaked and saddle forms that shed water fast and stand up to wind from any direction — for plazas, courtyards and pavilions.
Barrel vault
A long arched roof over a promenade, a walkway or a market run.
Cantilever
Column-free cover for parking, seating and stands where the far edge must stay clear.
Large clear span
A ridge-and-valley or multi-bay roof over a courtyard, an assembly ground or an event lawn.
For gazebos, see gazebo tensile structures; for open shade only, fabric shade structures; for parking, car parking tensile shades.
Outdoor tensile structure applications
Any outdoor space that needs shade and weather cover while staying open.
Courtyards & atria
Roofing an open court so it works in any weather — see courtyard projects.
Plazas & forecourts
Continuous cover on a clean grid over a public or commercial plaza.
Promenades & waterfronts
Shaded rest points along a seaside or riverside walking route.
Event & banquet lawns
A weatherproof covered area for functions that must run rain or shine.
Parks & public spaces
Shade over seating, play areas and gathering points.
Assembly & congregation grounds
A large clear span over a school, institutional or religious gathering space.
What is specified on an outdoor tensile structure
For an exposed outdoor site the specification is really about durability — corrosion protection and a UV-stable membrane.
| Element | Options |
|---|---|
| Form | Conical, hypar, barrel vault, cantilever, or a large clear span — chosen from the footprint and the wind |
| Exposure | Coastal and open sites get heavier galvanising, stainless cables and fittings, and a PVDF or PTFE membrane for UV and salt |
| Membrane | PVC for sheltered inland sites; PVDF or PTFE where UV, salt or permanence matter |
| Frame | Galvanised steel, painted or duplex-coated for the exposure |
| Drainage | A pitch that sheds the monsoon fast to defined low points; gutters where needed |
| Foundations | Isolated footings to IS 456, sized for the wind uplift that governs an exposed light roof |
| Sides | Open by default; screens added only where wind-driven rain is a real problem |
| Scope | Survey, 3D design, fabrication, installation and tensioning — one in-house team |
Membrane figures are manufacturer values for the material type — see the membrane materials page.
Membrane options
Outdoor structures on exposed sites use PVDF or PTFE for their resistance to UV and, near the coast, salt. PVC is fine for a sheltered inland courtyard.
PVC-coated polyester
The most economical choice and the widest colour range; blocks the rain, hail and almost all UV. PVC fabric →
PVDF-lacquered PVC
The same base with a tougher top-coat that stays cleaner under dust and pollution. PVDF fabric →
PTFE-coated glass
Non-combustible and near self-cleaning, with the longest service life. PTFE fabric →
A full comparison of the fabrics — translucency, fire class, typical life — is on the membrane materials page.
How it is engineered and built
The governing load
An outdoor structure on an open site takes the full wind from every direction, so uplift and overturning are large. The form is pre-stressed so the membrane stays taut, the pitch is set to shed the monsoon quickly, and the frame and foundations are sized for the site’s design wind pressure under IS 875 Part 3.
Steel & foundations to code
The frame is designed to IS 800 and the footings to IS 456, checked for uplift and overturning. Galvanising to IS 4759 / IS 2629 for corrosion protection.
Built off-site, raised fast
Steel is cut, welded and galvanised in the workshop and the membrane is cut and welded into panels, while the footings are cast on site. On-site work is then quick and low-disruption.
One accountable team
Survey, 3D design, fabrication, installation and tensioning are all Ekra Decor’s own team, with a handover pack of drawings, load report, stability certificate and material certificates.
What drives the cost
Cost is not a fixed rate per square foot — two structures of the same size can differ widely. The main factors:
An exposed or coastal site carries a corrosion-specification cost over a sheltered inland one. Send your site for a design direction and an itemised quote; see the cost guide.
Looking after the structure
- Cleaning — a periodic wash; PVDF and PTFE surfaces largely self-clean in rain.
- Membrane & seams — check for abrasion, coating wear and any seam lifting, especially at high-stress corners.
- Cable tension — a first re-tension after the initial season, then a periodic check.
- Steel & connections — inspect the galvanising and the connections, particularly at ground level.
- Drainage — clear the gutters, valleys and outlets before the monsoon.
Outdoor tensile structures we’ve built
Each project is documented with site photographs and recorded scope on its own page.
Public · Courtyard shadeHazratbal DargahSrinagar, J&K
/diu-2200sqm.webp)
Public · Conical pavilionDiu PavilionDiu
, Diu/swara-pr-patil-diu.webp)
Public · Seafront pavilionSwara Enterprises PromenadeDiu
Hospitality · Event-area canopyGolden Event PalaceMoradabad, UP
Public · Conical waterfront canopiesPort BlairAndaman & Nicobar
Industrial · Sail canopyNTPC GazeboPower-plant campus
Outdoor tensile structure FAQ
The questions people ask before commissioning a tensile structure for an open site.
Any tensile structure built for the open air — a courtyard roof, a plaza canopy, a promenade pavilion, an event-lawn cover, a parking shade. The common thread is an exposed site: full wind, full sun, the monsoon.
The wind case is larger because there is nothing to shelter it, so the form, the frame and the foundations are all sized for the full design wind from any direction, and the pitch is set to shed the monsoon fast.
Yes, with the right specification: heavier hot-dip galvanising, stainless cables and fittings, and a PVDF or PTFE membrane chosen for its resistance to UV and salt.
PTFE-coated glass, then PVDF-lacquered PVC. Plain PVC is fine for a sheltered inland site but chalks faster in intense UV.
Open on the sides by default, which keeps it naturally ventilated. Screens or roll-down blinds are added only where wind-driven rain or low sun is a real problem.
From a small pavilion to a large clear span over a courtyard, an assembly ground or an event lawn. The span depends on the form and the wind zone.
There is no fixed rate. Cost depends on the footprint, the form, the height, the membrane grade and any corrosion specification. Send your site for an itemised quote.
Periodic cleaning, a membrane and cable check, a first re-tension after the initial season, and keeping the drainage clear — more frequent on a dusty or coastal site.
Send us your outdoor site
You get a form option, a specification for the exposure, and an itemised quote.
Let’s Build Your Structure
Speak directly with our structural engineering team to discuss your project dimensions, material options, or to schedule a free on-site technical inspection across India.
Direct Phone & WhatsApp Hotlines
+91 98102 37952 (Delhi HQ) / +91 93159 45187 (Bangalore) / +91 82879 92289 (Engineering)
Official Email Address
Delhi Factory & Administrative HQ
No. 367 Badam Singh Market, Rangpuri, Near Shiv Murti, NH-8, New Delhi 110037
Bangalore Regional Office
93/5, Kada Agrahara Village, Dodda Gubbi Post, Bangalore, Karnataka - 560077, India
Chattarpur Office
House No. 488, 3rd Floor, Khasra No. 60, 100 Futa Road, Opposite Delhi Jal Board, Near Diwan Bajaj Showroom, Chattarpur Pahari, New Delhi - 110074, India
Request Itemized Price Quote
Fill in your requirements below for an instant engineering assessment & 3D estimate.