The Open City in Ritoque, Chile, is well known for extraordinary architectural experiments, including cutting-edge fabric-formed concrete constructions
Advantages of Fabric Forms
- Material Reduction: Fabric forms use hundreds of times less material than conventional rigid formwork. Concrete and steel can also be conserved by forming more efficient curved geometries.
- Cost Savings: Fabric forms cost far less than rigid forms due to the efficiency of the tensile-only membrane. In addition, certain fabrics can be reused many times over.
- Improved Concrete Quality: Permeable fabrics improve surface finish, compression, strength and impermeability by filtering air bubbles and excess mix water from the wet concrete.
- Waterproof Concrete: Inexpensive plastic-coated fabric forms provide a permanent waterproof shield when left on a concrete cast - useful, for example, in damp-proofing foundation footings.
- Beauty: Fabric-cast concrete is distinguished by its soft curves and immaculately detailed surfaces, offering unique forms of architectural beauty to concrete products and construction.