Take a piece of cardboard and fold and cut it with diamond shapes in a pre-designed manner and it only takes small effort to create an arch. Lightweight Structures B.V. has designed a construction with large sandwich panels, which has the same effect. We would like to make efficient buildings in this manner.

These kind of composite structures have been used before, but the plastics used in those were not able to withstand the UV light and the technologies were laborious.
Nowadays composites are able to withstand the wheel of time and sandwich panels are affordable standardised products. The following design is a result of research, a triangular sandwich panel with inner- and outer skin of each 1 millimeter thick composites, with in between an 8 centimeter thick polystyrene core. All this is bonded together with two-component adhesive, which controls the friction between the panels.
 
The folding of the panels make the structure go 'up and down'. This gives the hall an enormous overall stiffness. Therefore supporting steel structures or additional frames are not necessary. This saves material and assembly work. 
 
The edges of the panels have aluminium extrusion profiles, which are used to click the different panels together. A rubber profile takes care that the structure does not leak water.  
 
The profiles can also be made of composite pultrusion profiles. This would give better heat insulation. On the other hand more detailed work can be realised in aluminium. An example of the hinge system for the connections of the profile can be seen in the below sketches.  Above you see the panels when constructed, left in ‘valleyfold’ and right in ‘mountainfold’. The hinge is realised by a fiber reinforced elastomeer, which is welded on the top of the panels. This is a very usual procedure for roof layers. 
Everything is still foldable so the panels can be transported and stored flat. For semi-permanent applications this is ideal. A winter-roof over a tennis court is just one example. Other applications were extra quality is required such as thermal or acoustic insulation are also possible markets. Think of field hospitals, halls for events like fairs or storage sheds .
 
These halls will be more expensive than the well-known Romney-version. However this system is well isolated and has a stronger architectural look.