Shade structure allows fun in the sun
May 1st, 2010
A shade structure at a city water park allows Minnesotans to enjoy long-awaited summers By Abbie Yarger In Minnesota, summers are a celebration. After months of being confined to snow-covered houses in frigid temperatures, Minnesotans relish every warm, sunny day that comes along. Water activities are a must for many residents, who flock to lakes […]
Visionaries inspire architecture students to design inflatable structures
May 1st, 2010
Architecture and Vision partners lead University of Minnesota students in a workshop on inflatable structures By Bruce N. Wright For five intense days in March, graduate students in architecture at the College of Design, University of Minnesota (CDES), played with balloons and flexible materials to experiment and construct an inflatable structure during the college’s weeklong […]
Code considerations in fabric structure design
May 1st, 2010
By James A. Strapko Elegance, airiness and sculptural possibilities may motivate an architect to incorporate a fabric structure in a building design. Implications of this choice are not limited to building form. Design of a fabric structure as part of a large-scale commercial project may require an architect to collaborate with a manufacturer to properly […]
Randy Sharp envisions living cities
May 1st, 2010
A leading Canadian landscape architect discusses green roofs, walls and opportunities for new technologies By Frank Edgerton Martin Randy Sharp is a Canadian landscape architect with American roots. "I come from a family of landscape architects and designers," he explains. As a teenager, landscape architecture was actually his "third choice" in possible careers. Growing up […]
Nouvel’s Serpentine Pavilion unveiled
May 1st, 2010
The London-based Serpentine Gallery announced the 2010 Pavilion design by French architect Jean Nouvel. A contrast of lightweight materials and dramatic cantilevered metal, Nouvel’s design is rendered in a vivid red that nods to the iconic British telephone booth, post boxes and London buses. The building’s bold geometric forms use retractable awnings and fabric structures […]