A model life
One common complaint is that tensiles are difficult to draw and harder still for the client to visualize.
The traditional way round this was to create a physical model (using a curious combination of foamboard, timber dowels and ladies’ tights).
Now we have a whole range of CAD programmes such as ‘Rhino Membrane’* that can give designers the tools for the job.
More specialist software incorporating ‘dynamic relaxation’ allows us specialists to find the exact form the fabric will take and also is clever enough to spit out a loading analysis
