Too much sun? Make yourself some shade! This instructable comes from an idea I had about a way to make simple, fast, and cheap shade structures out of spandex (Lycra) fabric. This method lends itself to experimentation since it doesn't require sewing or permanently altering your materials. It'd be great for a temporary display for an event that needs a splash of color and some relief from the sun.
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Signing UpStep 1: Tensile Structures
There are two main categories of forces that a material can experience: tension and compression. Think of tension as a pulling force and compression as a pushing force.
Most permanent buildings are made of materials that work well in compression, like brick and concrete. The weight of the building itself and the stuff inside it push down and compress the walls to keep it standing. Buildings that are made of compression materials are usually heavy. The Romans used a lot of stone. They were fans of compression.
A structure like your average camping tent works via tension - the space is enclosed by fabric that is stretched between a lightweight frame. You put stakes in the ground to pull on the fabric so it stays more or less in the same shape. When you think tension, think ropes and fabric. Some of the best rope-structure builders were the Incas. They built suspension bridges that spanned canyons and terrified their European visitors.
Wikipedia will tell you more about tensile structures.
One of the advantages of tensile structures is that you can span a very large distance without using a lot of material. This is why the longest bridges in the world are suspension bridges with a deck hanging from cables in tension.
Most permanent buildings are made of materials that work well in compression, like brick and concrete. The weight of the building itself and the stuff inside it push down and compress the walls to keep it standing. Buildings that are made of compression materials are usually heavy. The Romans used a lot of stone. They were fans of compression.
A structure like your average camping tent works via tension - the space is enclosed by fabric that is stretched between a lightweight frame. You put stakes in the ground to pull on the fabric so it stays more or less in the same shape. When you think tension, think ropes and fabric. Some of the best rope-structure builders were the Incas. They built suspension bridges that spanned canyons and terrified their European visitors.
Wikipedia will tell you more about tensile structures.
One of the advantages of tensile structures is that you can span a very large distance without using a lot of material. This is why the longest bridges in the world are suspension bridges with a deck hanging from cables in tension.
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Really have to try this one!
http://www.pinkincdesign.com/
If you want to see more natural shapes like this, check out Felix Candela and his work in concrete - it's based on similar principles.