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In memoriam: Donald “Don” Michael Reinbolt
March 1st, 2024
Former IFAI (now ATA) chairman Donald "Don" Michael Reinbolt of Temperance, MI, died at age 77 on Saturday, January 13, 2024. He was born on June 11, 1946, in Toledo, Ohio, and was the son of Charles M. and Mary Katherine (Hartley) Reinbolt. He married his high school sweetheart from Woodward High School, Suzanne Loemker, […]
Sustainable waterproof fabric
March 1st, 2024
Apex, a non-PVC architectural membrane, offers unparalleled strength and durability comparable to PES-PVC fabrics, but is 35% lighter. Apex, a non-PVC architectural membrane, offers unparalleled strength and durability comparable to PES-PVC fabrics, but is 35% lighter. Ideal for tents and tension structures, its superior strength-to-weight ratio, remarkable performance, and patented NEOCLEAN™ self-cleaning technology ensure long-lasting […]
Materials from public art display upcycled for Olympic tents
February 1st, 2024
L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped, on display in Paris, France, in 2021. Image: © 2021 Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation/Wolfgang Volz Recycled materials from L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped, 1961–2021, a former public art installation, will be used to make shade structures and tents for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympic Games, a collaboration between Parley for the Oceans […]
Roy Chism on making the most of opportunity, ATA membership
February 1st, 2024
Photography by Jacob Tyler Dunn © Mark Skalny Photography In 2021, Roy Chism retired as owner and operator of The Chism Co. Inc., the canvas and metal fabrication shop his father founded 70 years prior in San Antonio, Texas. Though Chism occupied several roles throughout the years, his earliest task remained most critical to continuing […]
FlexFacades innovation turns parking garage into art
February 1st, 2024
Parking garages are not typically the prettiest buildings on the block. But with a little tensile fabric and some architectural panache, a structure that may typically lean toward eyesore can feel more like an urban sculpture. Take, for example, the parking garage of a Mountain View, Calif., tech company. Structurflex LLC, of Merriam, Kan., working […]
Transparency tech: solutions for materials tracking
February 1st, 2024
Preparing a cotton sample. “Any volume of fiber can be tagged,” says MeiLin Wan of Applied DNA Sciences. “For example, if 20 million pounds of cotton need to be tagged at a particular gin or spinner, we can provide the automated CertainT® tagging system to achieve this. We have tagged hundreds of millions of pounds […]
Seastex develops acoustic tiles made of mussel filaments
February 1st, 2024
An Acoustic Byssus Cores (ABC) tile detached from a wall. The tiles are designed to be easily removed to gain access to plumbing or electrical systems for maintenance or repairs. Image: Seastex/Yeshen Venema Founded in June 2021 by Belgian designer Sander Nevejans, Seastex has developed a method to turn mussel beard (byssus) waste into lightweight […]
Valcourt Group acquires AwnClean USA
February 1st, 2024
The Valcourt Group, a provider of window cleaning, waterproofing, and facade restoration services for commercial properties, announced its recent acquisition of woman-owned AwnClean USA, based in Tampa, Florida. This strategic move maintains the momentum Valcourt has been building to strengthen its position as an industry leader in exterior commercial building services while expanding its presence within […]
Watching out for greenwashing in your supply chain
January 1st, 2024
Renegade Plastics’ fabric serves as the background to show pellets made from recycled fabric and loose grommets made from those pellets. Image: Renegade Plastics In a world where consumers are concerned about sustainability, being environmentally conscious and seeking ethically sourced products, textile manufacturers need to ensure that companies throughout their supply chain aren’t engaging in […]
Functional and fanciful fabric sculptures embrace Google building
January 1st, 2024
When Google’s Bay View campus opened in Mountain View, Calif., last year, employees entering the largest building were greeted by sculptural fabric elements, Eddy and Shroud, designed by Jenny Sabin Studio. They stand tall in the open courtyard area, where there are collaboration spaces and cafes. The second floor contains employees’ individual workspaces. Eddy is […]