First internationalconference: Fabric formwork for architectural structures was held on May 16 - 18, 2008 at University of Manitoba,Winnipeg, Canada. Here are some excitingpresentation details. Full presentation reports on each presentation will beavailable on this site shortly.  Alan Chandler- Architect, Professor, University of EastLondon, England: Professor Chandler discussed several experimentalarchitectural applications of fabric wall forms, including fabric formworks forrammed earth walls and fabric-restrained rammed earth columns. This researchexplores a very ecological combination -- the ultra-low embodied energy oframmed earth construction with the minimalmaterial consumption of fabricformwork.            Arno Pronk- Architect, Eindhoven University of Technology,Eindhoven, Holland: Arno Pronk has developed innovative technologies usinginflatable forms to shape thin-shell spray concrete and FRP {fibre reinforcedPolymer} structures. His presentation demonstrated how these innovativeconstruction methods can be used to build new architectural forms as well asthe engineering analysis used to model and calculate these designs.            David Jolly- Architect and Professor,  Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Ritoque,Chile: Professor Jolly, along with colleagues in the Open City Group ofArchitects, has been constructing fabric-formed architectural experiments inSouth America since 2003. The Open City in Ritoque, Chile, well known for over40 years of extraordinary architectural experiments, is now the site of severalcutting-edge fabric-formed concrete constructions including: very stiffcomposite columns, bending moment-shaped beams, and a sculptural cast-in-placewall made using with a structuralfabric form-liner in modified plywood wall forms. Professor Jolly discussedrecent projects of his students.            David South- Inventor, founder of Monolithic Dome Institute:As President of the Monolithic Dome Company and founder of the Monolithic DomeInstitute, David South, has constructed thousands of domes over the past 30years using inflatable fabric forms. Many of these constructions are largeinsulated buildings with diameters reaching 90 m. {300 ft.} or more. Others are smallerstructures built as low-cost housing. Mr. South reviewed the work of his companyand described his construction methods. Clickhere to go to the Monolithic Dome Website Kenzo Unno- Architect, Tokyo, Japan: The Umi ArchitecturalAtelier in Tokyo, Japan, has developed methods of forming cast-in-placeconcrete walls formed in fabric molds. Mr. Unno`s presentation will describehow these techniques, named URC {Unno Reinforced Concrete} were invented anddeveloped. The basic configuration of URC formworks was described in detail,and built works using URC were shown. Finally, the future of URC was discussedthrough drawings and a sample model.            Mark West- Winnipeg, Canada; Director of CAST, fabric formworkresearcher and inventor: Flexible formwork allows the construction of a newarchitectural ‘language’ of sensual fluid forms. It also provides simple waysof shaping efficiently curved structural members. The search for economicalconstruction techniques that simultaneously achieve both ends is the centralfocus of research at the Centre for Architectural Structures and Technology{CAST}. This presentation described and illustrated techniques for constructingfabric-formed columns, walls, beams, trusses, panels, and thin-shell vaultsusing plain flat sheets of fabric and standard construction tools. Thearchitectural possibilities opened up by fabric-formed concrete were also
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