Architectural students at the Tokyo University of Science, in conjunction with lecturers, a structural planner and a membrane manufacturer, developed an experimental, extremely lightweight, load-bearing structure for a temporary pavilion. The 26-metre-long, up to 7.5-metre-wide and 4.25-metre-high volume is self-supporting and comprises only two kinds of component: the metal bearing elements and a delicate space-enclosing skin. The latter, consisting of...