ACADEMIC RESEARCH

The first University Research Laboratory dedicated to architectural and structural use of fabric formwork was established by the University of Manitoba's Faculty of Architecture in 2002. The 510 square meter (5.600 ft2) Centre for Architectural Structures and Technology (CAST) was specifically designed and constructed for this purpose, representing a $1.5 million investment in fabric formwork research infrastructure by government and private industry.

University research in fabric forming has expanded rapidly since the founding of CAST, with research now funded by industry and government research grants for Masters and Doctoral level theses in architectural and engineering schools internationally:

Belgium

• Mr. Rafaël Philips, Masters of Engineering Thesis on Textiles as Formwork for Concrete. Vrije Universiteit, Brussel.
• Niki Cauberg, Technological advisor/researcher, WTCB - CSTC - BBRI, Brussels.

Canada

• Professor Mark West, University of Manitoba Faculty of Architecture (CAST), (fabric-cast columns, beams, trusses, panels, walls, vaults, thin-shells and sculpture)
• PhD Engineering candidate Fariborz Hashemian dissertation on Structural Behavior of Variable Section Beams
• Mr. Farhood Delijani, Masters Thesis on Strength Gains in Concrete Cast in Permeable Fabric Molds
• Ms. Ann Miller, University of Toronto, Master of Architecture Thesis in Fabric-formed Structures, with Professor Brigitte Shim

Chile

• Architects David Jolly and Miguel Equem, Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Escuela de Arquitectura y Diseño (full-scale fabric-cast concrete columns and beams for a Studio Building project in the "Open City", Ritoque, Chile.

Denmark

• Ms. Anna-Mette Manelius, Danish Royal Academy of Fine Arts, PhD Dissertation in Architecture on “Soft Concrete”

England

• Professor Alan Chandler, University of East London (fabric-cast walls)
• PhD candidate Kwang Guan Lee, Bartlett School of Architecture, University College, London
• Dr. Tim Ibel and M.Eng thesis student John Bailiss University of Bath Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering

Germany

• Gregor Zimmermann,D r. Ing, Universität Kassel / G.tecz Kassel, Development of Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC). Website

Holland

• Diederik Veenendaal, Delft University of Technology, Masters of Engineering Thesis on Optimized Geometries for Fabric-formed Beam Design
• Arno Pronk, Assistant Professor, Building Technology, University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
• Frank Huijben. Arch, PhD researcher,University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands.

Scotland

• Dr. Remo Pedrsechi, University of Edinburgh (fabric-cast panels, columns and beams)
• PhD Architecture student Daniel Lee, dissertation on Fabric-formed T-beam Designs

United States

• Mr. Shuji Suzumori, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Master of Architecture Thesis in textile formwork
• Robert Schmitz, RPS Structural Engineering, LLC , Brookfield, WI (fabric formwork deflections in precast concrete panel construction) http://www.fabric-formedconcrete.com