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Solar fabrics bring power to the people
November 1st, 2012
Commercial success for large-scale flexible solar fabrics may be just around the corner. By Michael Lotti Fabrics that capture energy are gaining traction in the consumer marketplace. Solar backpacks, solar umbrellas, solar purses and even solar clothing can be ordered with a few mouse clicks. But what about awnings, rooftops, boat covers and other large-scale […]
Driving the future of fabric structures
November 1st, 2012
Today’s advanced technologies will drive the future of fabric structures. By Blaine Brownell Fabric is one of the oldest materials humans have used for shelter; it remains an important material with diverse applications in design and construction today, and it will play an even more important role in the constructed environment in the future. Predictions […]
White paper: Fabric using kenaf fiber
November 1st, 2012
By H. Toyoda Abstract Both polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE)-and polyvinyl chloride(PVC)-coated fabrics are employed today in different type of tents and architectural membrane structures all over the world. However, there is no easy and effective recycling method for these fabrics because of the difficulty of separation of the fibers from the coating resins. From the environmental viewpoint, Taiyo […]
Shade sail design capability added to Awning Composer by Tri Vantage®
October 24th, 2012
Tri Vantage®, in collaboration with Meliar Design, has added elements of MPanel Shade Designer software to Awning Composer, enabling users to create 3-D shade sail models for visualizing the effects of shade sails on outdoor spaces. “Connections between our two programs will allow users to easily create designs in MPanel Shade Designer and transfer them […]
Book review: Media-ICT
October 5th, 2012
Architects can be very reluctant to disclose details of their buildings, particularly where they have designed a structure that is groundbreaking. This makes the Media-ICT book a positive revelation as it discusses in great detail the award winning Media-TIC building with its smart ETFE façade. The building is designed by Enric Ruiz Geli/Cloud 9. The […]
Moving media façade illuminated “One Oceanâ€
September 17th, 2012
More than 8.2 million visitors traveled to Yeosu, South Korea, this summer to see Expo 2012 “The Living Ocean and Coast,” focused on a global vision for restoring sustainable life to the world’s marine environments. Participants from 100 nations discussed rising sea levels, the loss of biodiversity, acidification and pollution threatening seas and coasts in […]
Bries beach memoirs
September 1st, 2012
A seasonal Dutch club shows how to pack it up. By Mark Zeh Recently a new type of trendy nightclub/restaurant has appeared on the coast of Holland: the beach club. The words beach club normally evoke thoughts of summer heat, light dress and casual eating fare, so it seems anomalous to imagine such clubs situated […]
Fabric roof lets the light into school courtyard
September 1st, 2012
It “takes a village to raise a child,” and the school design selected by Coopers Edge Primary in Gloucester, England, included a Village Square for children to play and the greater community to assemble. The plan called for a covered courtyard that would “inspire and enable people, while energizing the community and enhancing [their] quality […]
Riding on the cloud of innovation
September 1st, 2012
Interview with Enric Ruiz-Geli of Cloud9 Architects By Marie O’Mahony Architect Enric Ruiz-Geli is a busy man. His highly acclaimed Media-TIC building in Barcelona’s 22@Barcelona district was given the World Architecture Festival’s World’s Best Building of the Year award in 2011. Most importantly it has finally put architecture membranes on the map as an energy […]
The dry campus: fabric shades help battle the heat
September 1st, 2012
In the arid climate of Arizona, a university battles the heat with fabric shades and a phalanx of sustainable design solutions. By Mason Riddle Given the record-breaking temperatures blanketing the United States over the past year, dismissing global warming as simply a cyclical climatological event is difficult. Even in Arizona. Thus, when Arizona State University […]