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The Fabric-Formed Concrete project has developed economical methods of forming columns, panels, slabs, and beams for cast-in-place and precast applications. Beginning with structural beam analysis and testing, the development of this technology is now nearing completion as a viable method for construction and architectural/ engineering practice worldwide.

The Holcim jury commended the project for the substantial material savings yielded by allowing the cross-sectional area to vary according to minimum structural requirements. They also applauded the benefits resulting from the estimated cost reductions for formwork material and transport weight.

"The proposal to deploy geotextile fabrics that are available worldwide and are inexpensive," wrote the jury, "presents a novel opportunity for the concrete industry to deliver products and services to a broader range of clientele regardless of the level of industrial sophistication."

Moreover, they add, the work is rich in aesthetic possibilities "and promises to offer a veritably unlimited palette of formal variations for architectural and engineering related work."

The three projects described here — as well as the top award winners from the other continents — are eligible for Holcim's global awards, to be announced in April 2006.

The Holcim Foundation was established in 2003 with the aim of promoting sustainable construction regionally and globally. The Holcim Foundation is supported by Switzerland-based Holcim Ltd. — supplier of cement, aggregates, concrete, and construction related services — but is independent of its commercial interests. The foundation is also supported by partner universities: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zürich; Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston; Tongji University in Shanghai; University of São Paulo; and the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

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"Material Reduction — Efficient Fabric-Formed Concrete" is the Holcim award-winning applied research of professor and architect Mark West, of the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg. Image: Mark West By requiring less material than in conventional practice, West's techniques promise significant reductions in embodied energy, material costs, and transport weight. Image: Mark West By using flexible fabrics instead of conventional rigid molds, concrete elements can vary in volume according to structural requirements. Image: Mark West West challenges the construction industry to achieve higher levels of efficiency and environmentally sensitive techniques for concrete construction. Image: Mark West Aesthetic possibilities are limitless for fabric-formed, precast panels. Image: Mark West Chain-link fencing as part of the formwork for concrete columns. Image: Mark West   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.