The famous German Engineer - Architect Frei Otto has been awarded the 2015 Pritzker Architecture Prize one day after his death.

Frei Otto was regarded as the most influential person to drive the modern move to adopt large span lightweight structures using fabrics, timber gridshells and cablenets.

He was very passionate about sharing his knowledge and ideas through the establishment of the Institute of Lightweight Structures at Stuggart University and hence its broad range of publications as well as a large number of students that spent time there.

Australian Standard for Swimming Pools

A new Australian Standard AS 1926.1-2012 "Swimming pool safety - Safety barriers for swimming pools" has just been released.

The objective of this Standard is to assist pool owners/users in avoiding pool-related drowning by providing design, construction and performance of various barrier options, which are designed to restrict entry to the swimming pool area by young children.

As LSAA members are often involved in the provision of shade structures to pools and playgrounds, this new standard may have some relevance.

Perth Stadium Design Approved

The new Perth $900 million 60,000 seat sports stadium design has been approved. The winning design team comprises Cox Architects, Hassell, HKS and Arup.

The following article appears on the WA Government's Perth Stadium website.
http://www.perthstadium.com.au/winning-new-perth-stadium-design-revealed

Of particular interest is the fabric roof and possible aspects of the "bronze facade".

Preferred bidder named for new Perth Stadium

Tuesday 15 April 2014

The contract to design, build, finance and maintain the new 60,000 seat Perth Stadium and Sports Precinct has reached another important milestone with the naming of WESTADIUM as the Preferred Respondent.

• WESTADIUM is Preferred Respondent to build new Perth Stadium
• All three bids were world-class and satisfied strict criteria
• Negotiations to conclude mid-2014

Premier Colin Barnett said each of the three shortlisted private sector consortia submitted world-class bids that addressed the technical, operational and commercial requirements of the State’s Request For Proposals.

For this article and further information see: Perth Stadium Website or http://www.perthstadium.com.au/

Shady business: call for sun safety reform

Gaps expose childcare kids to poor shade design and installation.

A CHOICE investigation has uncovered gaping holes in the regulation of the shadecloth design and installation industry which potentially compromises the sun safety of childcare centres.

Even those centres certified as SunSmart by the voluntary Cancer Council Australia program may have unwittingly bought shadecloth with a low level of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) protection or had it incorrectly installed.

Viewers of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Concert held outside Buckingham Palace would have been impressed with the elegant tensioned fabric structure.

Minneapolis Dome Collapses

The pounding snow caused the roof of the 64,000-seat Metrodome in Minneapolis to "deflate" Sunday morning, Minnesota State Patrol spokesman Lt. Eric Roeske said. Workers wielding shovels could be seen clearing the roof of the heavy white stuff, while photos from inside the darkened stadium showed much of the field covered with snow that fell from a gaping hole in the dome.

TensileDraw: the Tensile Structure Software

TensileDraw is an AutoCAD and RHINO fully compatible and integrated plug-in software package developed in collaboration with Maffeis Engineering & Consulting. It can simulate well balanced force stress distribution on the membrane surface without complicating file exportation and related compatibility problems.

The great versatility of the application is most significant: it can calculate the form of complex geometry fabric structures thanks to the generation of a warp and weft beam mesh reproducing the orthotropic behaviour of fabric material.

International Design Competition for the new Japan National Stadium

A new stadium is being proposed by Japan Sport Council that aims to be the "greatest stadium".

There has been an International Design Competition for the new Japan National Stadium and a short list of 11 international design groups has been selected.

Two reasons for the new stadium are to boost Japan's bid to host the 2020 Olympics as well as the FIFA World Cup.

Flinders Street Station Design Competition

There are six groups who have been shortlisted for the next stage of the Design Competition for revamping Melbourne's iconic Flinders Street Station.

Most groups involve local and international firms. The next stage of the process is due to be completed in July 2013 after each group develops their design concepts further and have briefings with government departments.

More details can be found here.

America Cup Boats - The Ultimate Lightweight Structure?

The new catamaran boats used in the America Cup races are a true example of a lightweight structure and embody many elements that the design of normal tensioned fabric structures take into account.

The wind loading is critical for both and the structural form required to resist or to take advantage of the wind pressures is the key element to success.

Both use highly engineered modern materials that require optimization in terms of orientation, cutting patterns and seaming technology.

The more rigid components need to be optimized also to reduce weight whilst still maintaining structural stiffness.

Congratulations to the USA for winning but also to Team New Zealand for pushing the limits.

More details on the boat sizes and limitations can be found here

World's Most Iconic and Culturally Significant Stadium

The AAMI Stadium in Melbourne has been named as the "World's Most Iconic and Culturally Significant Stadium" at the Stadium World Congress 2012 in Doha.

The AAMI Stadium was also the overall winner of the 2011 LSAA Design Awards in the "Collaboration Category".

Cox Architecture and Arup Engineers developed the design of the 31,000 seat geodesic structure that acts as home for the Melbourne Storm, Melbourne Heart and Melbourne Victory sporting teams.

For more details of the structure, click HERE