This striking canopy covers an arena for dressage and other horse riding events. Located in open country near Bathurst, it measures 27 metres by 70 metres.

The canopy shape consists of linked hyperbolic paraboloids, or hypars as they are commonly known in the membrane business. Hypars can form pleasant aesthetic shapes, but have the practical disadvantage that the edges of the membrane are not level. This makes them unsuitable for many applications, and so are not seen as often as conicals and barrel vaults.

The canopy is supported by columns with backstays. This elegant and aesthetic method of supporting membranes requires room for the backstays, and so is often not viable for urban areas, where space is at a premium. The bushland setting for this structure not only allows the use of backstays, but vastly enhances the visual appeal of the structure.

Osborn Lane’s client for the project was Sunwing Australia.