ShadeFLA Intern Awarded Honorable Mention for Fabric Structure Design

Former ShadeFLA intern Michael Alexander received honorable mention in the Industrial Fabric Association International (IFAI) 2016 Student Design Challenge. Michael's design for a bold, shade-providing structure at the entrance to Brickell Key in Miami, FL, was recognized in the category Fabric Structures. The winners of the competition will be announced at the IFAI Expo in October in Charlotte, NC.

IAFI is a not-for-profit trade association whose 1,800 member companies represent the international specialty fabrics and technical textiles marketplace. The IFAI challenge asked students to design a fabric structure that provides shelter and architectural interest for a public or commercial site. Michael took inspiration from sailboats for his design, which features white, triangular shade sails. The fabric is Serge Ferrari Precontraint 502, which offers high UV resistance and heat and weather protection. Michael's design incorporates a steel frame, hand grommets and C-channels, also in white.

Michael is a 4th year architecture student at the University of Miami. He is currently studying abroad in Rome, Italy, where his focus is on city sketches. His project concept for this semester is to create a public museum for the imperial fora, which is a series of public squares constructed in Rome between 46 BC and 113 AD.

ShadeFLA was honored to have Michael as our design intern for eight months. While with the company, Michael created designs for clients in Google Sketchup, handled permitting of projects in progress, and visited project sites. He completed his internship in August. As Michael says, "I could not have asked for a better way to end my internship!"

(ShadeFLA team;  Michael is pictured second from the left)