Tension structure connection details

January 1, 2010  |  Continuing Education, Hardware & Rigging

God is in the details when it comes to tension structure design Ludwig Mies van der Rohe got it right when he said “God is in the details.” Another well-worn phrase has it that we must sweat the details and the big things will take care of themselves, so with this article we look at &hel…
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Aging of membrane materials

November 17, 2009  |  Continuing Education

How to keep membrane materials looking new over time. By Mark Zeh Unlike Henry Ford, who claimed you could get his automobiles in any color as long as it was black, fabric structures do come in more than one color. However, sometimes these alternate colors are unintentional. Here are several tips on…
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The advantages of inflatable structures

October 26, 2009  |  Structure Basics

Flexible and economical, air-supported structures fill multiple market niches. By Holly O’Dell When it comes to inflatable products, many people think of bouncy castles, parade floats or dancing tubes used for advertising. But the world of air-supported structures, or inflatables, extends far …
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Hearing fabric

September 1, 2009  |  Continuing Education

The why and wherefore of designing for sound with textiles. By Todd Willmert All building materials are acoustical; all affect how sound is reflected, absorbed or transmitted. Through materials, sound can be sustained through reflection or made to dissipate through absorption. Transmission touches o…
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Regulatory considerations in the design of fabric awnings

July 1, 2009  |  Continuing Education

By James A. Strapko Awnings in the architectural design process Recent trends in building regulations for commercial and residential projects may push architects toward taking awning design more seriously. In the past, architects have been tempted to view the awning as a discrete, subordinate elemen…
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Vertical green

May 1, 2009  |  Continuing Education

By Clare Miflin The global population is increasing rapidly, and by 2010 more than 50%, some 3.3 billion people, will live in urban areas. While cities offer opportunities for living with a low ecological footprint, they suffer from pollution, noise and remoteness from nature. Integrating vegetation…
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Fabric structures

April 1, 2009  |  Fabric Basics

A fabric structure’s material selection, proper design, engineering, fabrication and installation all work together to ensure a sound structure. The material’s role in the structure’s performance makes the selection process especially important. This is particularly true with tensi…
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Awnings & canopies

April 1, 2009  |  Fabric Basics

For decades the choice of awning and canopy fabric was limited to cotton canvas. While cotton offers a great look and feel, it has performance limitations outdoors. Although traditional cotton duck, or canvas, is still used occasionally — especially when specifiers desire a traditional look &m…
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Definitions to know

April 1, 2009  |  Fabric Basics

Denier is an international system for measuring the weight (linear density) of fabric. Officially, it is the number of unit weights of 0.05g/ 450m length. It is a direct numbering system in which the lower numbers represent the finer sizes and the higher numbers the coarser sizes. In the U.S., the d…
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Graphics applications

April 1, 2009  |  Fabric Basics

New applications of graphic elements are a species of fabric architecture that allows the most colorful and visual creativity. Environmental graphics fabricators constantly look for new ways to grab the eye or fill a space. The key to selecting the proper fabric is knowing the function a banner or g…
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