Designing for lightness in fabric structures

Oct. 1, 2020  |  Fabric Structures, Markets

A new book examines sustainability in materials design. By Marie O’Mahony Editor’s note: Marie O’Mahony will moderate a panel session led by author Ed van Hinte on Nov. 5 at IFAI Virtual Expo 2020. The session will provide an updated view on lightness in design and how the world might bene…
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A sculptural fabric roof for a high-end mall in Mexico

Jun. 1, 2017  |  Fabric Structures, Markets

A sculptural fabric roof complements the expansion of a high-end mall. Cuernavaca is the capital of Mexico’s Morelos state, located in the lush Tepozteco Mountains just south of and bordering Mexico City. With a warm, stable climate that ranges year-round from 20–30 degrees C (68–86 degrees F)…
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Living off the land

May. 1, 2017  |  Fabric Structures, Markets

Ohana Yurts encourages sustainable living, one yurt at a time. To Jenny and Nathan Toler, a yurt is more than a temporary shelter or even a permanent home; it’s a way to reconnect with the earth. “It’s living in the environment as opposed to being protected from it,” explains Nathan, who own…
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Green glamping

Feb. 17, 2017  |  Fabric Structures, Markets

Eco-friendly glamping structures designed to keep Mother Nature smiling. Glamping brings together the best of two worlds—all the splendor Mother Nature has to offer in posh, elegant accommodations. As if that weren’t enough, glamping structures are usually designed with fabrics that blend into t…
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Inflation rates

Feb. 1, 2017  |  Fabric Structures, Markets

Blow-up shapes and structures make a valuable medium for edgy and interactive art. When Los Angeles based artist Paul McCarthy installed two works in Munich’s Haus der Kunst, the widely known provocateur hired a company that specializes in inflatables for branding to create a flowerpot of geranium…
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Flying the “Paper Airplane”

Jan. 1, 2017  |  Fabric Structures, Markets

Canvas Specialty, Inc. works through challenges to create a shade structure that is also art. The simplicity of the paper airplane has made it a popular toy for generations of kids (and adults), even in this age of high-tech entertainment. But while the shade structure installed recently in Los Ang…
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Beyond branding

Nov. 29, 2016  |  Fabric Structures, Markets

Inflatables manufacturers find diverse markets in addition to promotional products. To attract the attention of drivers, car dealerships float spheres or other shapes with automakers’ logos. People dressed in inflatable costumes that identify them as brand mascots line festival walkways to interac…
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Fear of flying?

Nov. 29, 2016  |  Fabric Structures, Markets

Companies that make air- and helium-filled products weigh the risks. When Pink Floyd’s trademark helium pig got too high at a Coachella concert in 2008 and drifted away, no one got hurt—even though the pink inflatable was, as the Associated Press reported, “as tall as a two-story house and as …
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