PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — November 5, 2026 — Serge Ferrari North America, the North American subsidiary of Serge Ferrari Group, which designs, develops, and manufactures innovative composite materials, introduces the 7th Material to the North American market. The concept gives a name to technical membranes—lightweight, flexible composite fabrics used across architecture for roofing, facades, shading, and interior applications.
Serge Ferrari Group unveiled the 7th Material at its global launch event on Sept. 24, 2026, establishing it as an open industry category rather than a product line or trademark. The concept positions technical membranes as a seventh construction material category, alongside stone, earth, wood, concrete, metal, and glass.
“We are not launching a new product; we are giving a name to a material family that is already present in architecture but still insufficiently recognized,” said Sébastien Baril, CEO of Serge Ferrari Group. “With the 7th Material, we want to show that performance can also come from the behavior of a surface, its lightness, and its ability to combine multiple functions. This category is intended to be open, documented, and shared across the whole industry.”
For nearly 50 years, technical membranes have been used in architecture, yet they are often grouped broadly with “lightweight” materials and specified only after a building has already been designed. The 7th Material concept aims to bring membranes into the design process earlier. While the six historic materials are classified by their composition, the 7th Material is defined by its function, deriving performance from a surface under tension rather than from mass and added layers.
Serge Ferrari Group positions technical membranes as a solution for the future of construction, combining a lower carbon footprint with lightweight, modular design. For North American architects, engineers, and building owners, the 7th Material is intended to work alongside traditional materials rather than replace them. A single membrane surface can span and enclose large spaces, filter light, control solar heat gain, absorb sound, and manage airflow. Its low mass can help reduce structural loads, while integrating multiple functions into a single surface can limit the need for additional systems.
“Architects in North America know membranes from stadium roofs and shade structures, but they rarely enter the early design conversation,” said David Peragallo, Assoc. AIA, Senior Specification Manager, North America, Serge Ferrari Group. “Serge Ferrari Group is leading an industry-wide effort to change that. Our focus is giving specifiers the data to evaluate membranes like any other building material, with clear test methods and clear limits.”
As part of this effort, Serge Ferrari Group plans to document membrane performance using common terminology, defined measurement methods, and comparable data. The goal is to give design teams, owners, insurers, and technical organizations the information needed to evaluate and specify membranes alongside other established construction materials.
Posted: November 6, 2026
Source: Serge Ferrari North America