Fabric Structure Built for Extreme Conditions on Greenland Ice Sheet

February 1, 2017  |  Case Studies, Exteriors

Rubb USA, utilizing Serge Ferrari flexible composite materials, recently completed the installation of a modular structure at the Summit Station, Greenland, adapting the structure’s design to the unique needs of the extreme cold weather location. The Summit Station, located on the summit of the Gr…
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Power-generating textiles might augment buildings

February 1, 2017  |  News

Every January, Architect magazine, the official publication of the American Institute of Architects, publishes the predictions and recommendations of new materials guru, Blaine Brownell, for what he thinks architects and designers should expect to see more of in the coming year. Brownell’s five pi…
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Residential canopy

February 1, 2017  |  Case Studies, Exteriors

Pergola def.: 1. A garden structure with an open wooden-framed roof often latticed, supported by regularly spaced posts or columns. The structure, often covered by vines or roses, shades a walk or passageway. A new private residence in Phuket, Thailand, that overlooks a bay area of an exclusive wate…
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Tensioned awning

February 1, 2017  |  Case Studies, Exteriors, Landscapes

Beachfront golf anyone? Overlooking a pristine beach that stretches along the northeast coast of New Zealand, Tara iti Golf Club has been positioned as the premiere private golf club in the country. Located on a former pine tree plantation, this exclusive club oversees a landscape that has been clea…
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Guidelines for fabric structures (ASCE 55-10) updated to current standards

February 1, 2017  |  News

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Tension Membrane Committee has revised ASCE 55-10, the organization’s primary set of guidelines for designing a wide variety of tensioned fabric structures. The new updated standard, ASCE 55-16, will answer how to design a structure to meet codes and …
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Discovery improves conductivity in composites

February 1, 2017  |  News

Although the use of composites in architecture and construction has not yet reached the adoption levels of the aerospace or transportation sectors, there are growing trends of interest and developments that could see more use of composites in buildings. One such harbinger is the recent announcement …
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Mesh-wrapped “Globe Theatre” proposed for travel

February 1, 2017  |  News

As recently reported in the Architect’s Newspaper, Angus Vail, a rock music business manager from New Zealand, wants to build a Shakespearean Globe Theater in Detroit. “But rather than a heavy timber and plaster structure, like the 16th century version, he wants to build it out of shipping conta…
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On the road to Rome

February 1, 2017  |  Features

Italian architects and German engineers create a dynamic fabric structure for the Palace of Congress conference center “Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably will themselves not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work.”—Daniel H. Burnham…
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