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Registration opens for IFAI Expo
June 15th, 2020
IFAI Expo Nov. 3–6, 2020 in Indianapolis, Ind., will mark the event’s 100th anniversary. IFAI has announced that it is moving forward as planned, and registration is now open. Safety protocols are in place and will be coordinated with host hotels and the Indiana Convention Center (ICC). The registration area at IFAI Expo will be […]
Fabric offers numerous benefits for awnings and canopies
June 2nd, 2020
By Bruce N. Wright, FAIA These dome awnings were fabricated with solution-dyed polyester. The classic rounded design of this awning system complements the building and streetscape in a way that a hard-edged metal treatment would not. Photo: courtesy of Marlen Textiles. Fabric awnings and canopies can provide energy savings, thermal and visual comfort, weather protection […]
Conceptual fabric artist Christo dies
June 2nd, 2020
Environmental conceptual artist Christo planned to transform the Arc de Triomphe in late 2020. Photo: André Grossmann; © 2019 Christo. Christo, an artist known for wrapping landmarks around the world with massive fabric installations, died Sunday at his home in New York City. The Bulgarian-born artist who used only his first name was 84; no […]
New airport canopies welcome travelers
June 1st, 2020
Rising 72 feet over passengers and traffic, newly constructed canopies provide protection from the elements for visitors to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Photo: FabriTec Structures. More than 107 million travelers pass through the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, making it the busiest airport in the world. With all of the traffic, airport management developed a plan […]
Cash flow strategies and profits
June 1st, 2020
By Mark E. Battersby Cash flow is the lifeblood of every business. In fact, according to a recent U.S. Bank study, poor cash flow management causes 82 percent of U.S. business failures. Although seemingly counterintuitive, many experts advise putting cash flow management before profits. While profits are how a fabrication business survives, a failure to […]
Metalwork and framing for fabric applications
June 1st, 2020
Fabric is only half of the equation for many manufacturers in the specialty fabrics industry. The other half, metalwork and framing, requires its own set of capabilities. by Laurie F. Junker A frame is the essential component that transforms fabric into architecture, turning a piece of cloth into some sort of protective cover or defined […]
Making the case for fabric
June 1st, 2020
Commercial projects use shade to unify and transform large public gathering places By Bruce N. Wright, FAIA “The architecture teleports you to a bazaar in a faraway land!”—Yelp report from a recent visitor to the Irvine Spectrum shopping mall in Irvine, Calif. Many visitors, like the one commenting on Yelp, are drawn back again and […]
A dramatic canopy rebrands a local landmark
June 1st, 2020
By Bruce N. Wright, FAIA In downtown Honolulu Harbor, the Aloha Tower Marketplace is one of Hawaii’s most famous landmarks. While it was completed in 1994 as part of a comprehensive revitalization project for a part of the city that had become distant from the center of business and tourist activity, it took a private […]
Shading to lower energy consumption
June 1st, 2020
Even in black, solar protective shades control the influx of natural light with no loss of outward vision. They also control glare and reflections, which make them ideal for computer users. Photo: Mermet. The Sandton district in suburban Johannesburg, South Africa, is home to an exciting new mixed-use development known as The Central. It’s also […]