Inflatable forest comes to life with human interaction

November 1, 2020  |  Case Studies

The Canopy, an inflatable installation that debuted in 2019 at the Light City festival in Baltimore, Md., is designed to bring people together for a greater good. At first glance, it is a forest of tree-like sculptures that are white in the daylight and aglow with neon colors at night. That’s wher…
Read More
Roland-Garros gets a retractable roof with Serge Ferrari fabric

October 1, 2020  |  Case Studies

Like virtually every other major sporting event, the French Open postponed its 2020 tournament, with play now tentatively set to begin in late September. And when the world’s greatest tennis players set foot on the world’s most famous red clay, they’ll play regardless of weather, under a new r…
Read More
Big Span Structures completes covered walkway for Jacksonville transit users

October 1, 2020  |  Case Studies

An eye-catching pedestrian bridge with a tensile membrane roof is keeping Jacksonville, Fla., transit users protected from the elements. Jacksonville Transit Authority’s vision of a regional multimodal hub is coming to a reality with the Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center (JRTC). Located …
Read More
School design in New Zealand embraces sustainability

September 21, 2020  |  Case Studies

The Green School campus in New Zealand showcases a relatively new material, Mehler Texnologies’ Lodge de Luxe membrane, a fabric often used for safari lodges. The Green School is a collaborative design developed by international and local designers, architects and engineers, according to a recent …
Read More
Big Span Structures outfits PGA Tour Headquarters with ETFE skylights

September 1, 2020  |  Case Studies

Big Span Structures, Summerfield, Fla., has announced the recent completion of an ETFE skylight installation on the roof of the new PGA Tour headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Big Span specializes in concept-to-completion solutions for signature lightweight tensile membrane structures. The proj…
Read More
An architecturally significant performance hall gets a new canopy

September 1, 2020  |  Case Studies

When Hurricane Irma slammed into Florida in 2017, the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in Sarasota, Fla., was one of many buildings damaged. In particular, the fabric of the hall’s front canopy needed to be replaced.  The new canopy needed to protect visitors from inclement weather and compleme…
Read More
Redesigned tent for COVID-19

August 1, 2020  |  Case Studies

While numerous end-product manufacturers have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by fabricating products that they have never made before, others looked to past products and designs to apply to today’s challenges.     Rainier Industries’ commercial tent division brought back a tent des…
Read More
Solar-powered canopy captures the rhythm of Miami

July 1, 2020  |  Case Studies

The Rhythm Foundation exists to bring international music to the U.S. It focuses on music from cultures that connect to South Florida including Latin America, Brazil, the Caribbean, Africa and Europe.  In 2015, the Miami, Fla.-based nonprofit was awarded management of the North Beach Bandshell, an …
Read More
Shading to lower energy consumption

June 1, 2020  |  Case Studies

The Sandton district in suburban Johannesburg, South Africa, is home to an exciting new mixed-use development known as The Central. It’s also home to the sleek, modern 96 Rivonia Road, a low energy certified building that is the new headquarters of Werksmans and Partners, a 100-year-old law firm.&…
Read More
Revitalizing area culture with a cozy NOOK

May 1, 2020  |  Case Studies

In the city of Taitung in Taiwan, there is a lot of history around an old train station, abandoned for more than a decade. At one time, it was central to the region’s growth. Recently, city leaders wanted to revitalize the area by creating an inviting cultural space.  They commissioned Portug…
Read More