Extraordinary possibilities using fabric to form concrete structures

Concrete, our most widely used construction material, is a fluid that offers the opportunity to economically create structures of almost any geometry. Yet this unique fluidity is seldom capitalised on, with concrete instead being cast into rigid prismatic moulds to create high material use structures with large carbon footprints. This paper will demonstrate how replacing conventional orthogonal moulds with a flexible system comprised primarily of high strength, low cost fabric sheets, can utilise the fluidity of concrete to create extraordinary possibilities for highly optimised, architecturally interesting, building forms. © 2013 Taylor & Francis Group, London, UK.