The Jamsil indoor swimming pool in Seoul, South Korea, hosted the Asian Games in 1986 and the Olympic Games in 1988, but had fallen on harder times. The Seoul Metropolitan Government graded the facility a ‘D’ during a 2010 safety inspection and estimated the cost of renovation at $25 million. Enter Hanwha Polydreamer, a Seoul producer of PVC and PVC-coated products, with UniTent low-shrinkage, high-tenacity polyester membrane fabric. By installing a membrane roof structure inside the indoor pool, the city reduced construction, heating and air-conditioning costs while improving safety (because the membrane could also catch anything falling from the ceiling), at a revised cost of $4.5 million.

Hanwha Polydreamer offers five types of structural membrane, including an extracellular matrix (ECM) version that can be treated with a new fluoride lacquer surface treatment that repels water and pollutants and is easy to clean. Treatments for flame resistance and UV protection also allow large-scale membrane structures to hold up to sun, rain, dust and other environmental impacts. The ECM version will form five themed plazas at International Exhibition 2012 (Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea), an event to create harmony among the earth, ocean and global ecosystems to be held in Yeosu, South Korea, May 12–Aug. 12, 2012. Eight million people from 103 countries will attend the event, and the five main gates will be shielded by an estimated 102,000 square meters of UniTent ECM membrane.