Sheet rubber material made from recycled tires

May 1, 2009  |  News

RubbRe™ is a sheet rubber material made from recycled tires. Available in several thicknesses, colors and designs, rubbRe is also available in a bonded format called fuzun™ that bonds natural hemp to the rubbRe. SOURCE Vulcana LLC
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Architect’s Workshop presents opportunities for students

March 1, 2009  |  News

‘How to get started with fabric structures’ By N. Jane Hurt and Annemarie Jacques The Architect’s Workshop: “How to Get Started with Fabric Structures,” sponsored by the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI), the Lightweight Structures Association (a divis…
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Navigating the complex world of building codes

March 1, 2009  |  News

There are no simple answers, but there are successful strategies. By Juli Case It’s a story that’s becoming all too familiar: An awning company takes a job fabricating a simple entrance canopy. It’s the type of installation that this company has done hundreds of times before—…
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“More Mobile: Portable Architecture for Today”

March 1, 2009  |  News

Reviewed by Samuel J. Armijos In “More Mobile: Portable Architecture for Today,” the follow-up to her 2002 book “Mobile: The Art of Portable Architecture for Today,” Jennifer Siegel, founder and principal of Office of Mobile Design (OMD), presents a wide range of portable, ad…
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Professional Awning Manufacturers Association publishes new reference guide

January 1, 2009  |  News

The Professional Awning Manufacturers Association has published a new reference guide called the Fabric Awning & Canopy Building Code Reference. Packed with useful information, the guide includes sections on awning and canopy references in the International Building Code and International Reside…
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Eco-conscious home offers smart green features

January 1, 2009  |  News

Prefab green ‘smart home’ lets the sunshine in. By Shelby Gonzalez Most people would be hard-pressed to guess the inspiration behind the mkSolaire™, the sleek, eco-conscious home that was the center of attention at “Smart Home: Green + Wired,” a new exhibit at Chicago&r…
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Tension revisited—3: ForTen 3000

January 1, 2009  |  News

An ongoing review of tension structure software. Reviewed by Aaron Westre ForTen 3000 is the latest version of the tensile design software by Italian architect Gerry D’Anza of Baku Group. D’Anza has been developing the software for the past 15 years and it is in use by several design fir…
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Membrane qualified for Energy Star® and Cool Roof Rating Council rankings

January 1, 2009  |  News

A first for fabric roofing systems, the Sheerfill Architectural Membrane offered by Birdair, Inc., is qualified for Energy Star® and Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) rankings. The fabric — manufactured by Saint Gobain Performance Plastics — has a solar reflectance performance rating o…
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Japanese shoji now offered in FR glass fiber option

January 1, 2009  |  News

Traditional shoji dividers are made of translucent rice paper, an impractical material without flame retardant modifiers for today’s commercial requirements. A high-tech alternative is being offered by Chukoh Chemical Industries Ltd., of Tokyo, that is made of PTFE-coated glass fibers. Skytop …
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Panels offer flexible lighting option

January 1, 2009  |  News

Innolite light emitting capacitor (LEC)-based panels make lighting paper-thin for illumination on signage, architecture, and even wallpaper. CeeLite’s smart, programmable Flatline Inverters offer superior brightness, long life and many programmable dimming, fading and flashing standard feature…
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