Lighting the way

March 1, 2009  |  Continuing Education

Fabric’s traditional role in architecture has centered on shading, with awnings or other fabric constructions tempering the sun. Yet today, sunlight — the natural light form — has competition. By Todd Willmert Writing in the early 1900s, the noted Swiss-French architect Le Corbusie…
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Specifying green roof fabrics

January 1, 2009  |  Continuing Education

Learning how to make the right material choices, without compromising sustainability. By Bruce Dvorak Roofscapes across North America are beginning to turn green, not just because of their hue, or sustainable fabrication, but “green” in an organic sense of the word. Rooftops are blooming…
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Designing fabric structures

September 1, 2008  |  Structure Basics

Three quick steps to success. By Samuel J. Armijos Step one: Do your research The best way to incorporate a fabric structure in a project or design a stand-alone fabric structure is to see what has already been done. Magazines such as Fabric Architecture, books on fabric structures and basic searche…
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Fabric façades

September 1, 2008  |  Continuing Education

New sustainable advantages can be found by wrapping a building in fabric. By Steve Fredrickson Fabric façades are quickly becoming an important component in today’s architectural world, in large part due to their ease of design but, more importantly, as a means to drastically reduce ene…
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Graphics for better buildings

July 1, 2008  |  Continuing Education

Enlivening building façades and streetscapes to create places for people. By Paula Rees It is time that designers take a breath of responsibility and think creatively. Fabric architecture’s uses, new materials and technological advances offer endless options and incredible design possib…
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Networks of influence: Blurring the roles between engineers and architects

July 1, 2008  |  Features, Structure Basics

A student of Otto explains how she teaches the basics. By Mark Zeh More than in any other branch of architecture, the creation of cables and membrane structures requires coöperative work and a blurring of roles between engineers and architects. Recently I talked with Prof Dr. –Ing. Rosema…
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Tensile structures: Do it yourself

July 1, 2008  |  Features, Structure Basics

At the Free University of Brussels, Dr. Marijke Mollaert’s architecture students design and then build their fabric structure. By Lars De Laet “Design and build your own Tensile Surface Structure!” This unique opportunity and challenge is what students from the 1st and 2nd Master i…
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Artists and architects

May 1, 2008  |  Continuing Education

Launching a working relationship. By Regina M. Flanagan Recently, I was one of 63 artists invited to submit credentials to design the portico for the Pines Dining Hall at Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina. The Blue Ridge Mountains are a backdrop for the school and I imagined the undulating …
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Rooftop gutter and ETFE clamping assembly

May 1, 2008  |  Hardware & Rigging

PTW Architects designed the Beijing National Aquatic Center to take advantage of ETFE’s lightweight to clad the entire building with the air-filled pillows (“bubbles”)—twice! First, for a protective exterior façade and second, for an interior “façade&rdquo…
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Effective erosion control

March 1, 2008  |  Continuing Education

Selecting a rolled erosion control product (RECP) for designing with vegetation. By Roy J. Nelsen Erosion due to water is a natural event resulting from both the detachment and transportation of soil particles. Accelerated erosion due to human activity and the removal of vegetation or cover from the…
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