International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures

The International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS) is an association that gathers engineers, architects, builders and others interested in lightweight structural systems such as lattice, tension, membrane and shell structures, and more broadly in the creative integration of structural engineering and architecture. It was founded by Eduardo Torroja in 1959, following an International Colloquium on Shell Structures he convened in Madrid in September 1959, where he proposed the founding of the association and served as its founding president. The IASS publishes the Journal of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures in print and online, and organizes working groups, study groups, symposia, colloquia and conferences.

In September 1959, the structural engineer Eduardo Torroja organized and convened an International Colloquium on Shell Structures in Madrid. During this Colloquium, Professor Torroja proposed the founding of the International Association for Shell Structures (IASS), because at that time shell structures were frequently used all over the world to roof buildings of all sorts, such as sports facilities, exhibition halls and industrial plants, as well as to fulfill industrial purposes through structures such as tanks, silos and cooling towers. He wanted to create a platform where the top scientists, designers and constructors of the world would meet and exchange their ideas and experiences, with regular meetings, correspondence and a bulletin published regularly. His proposal was enthusiastically accepted by the distinguished group of designers and engineers at the colloquium, and the IASS was born with Prof. Torroja as both the inspiration and the founding president. Since that time the Association has developed and become an internationally renowned institution.

• Journal of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures

  Published in print (ISSN 1028-365X) and online (ISSN 1996-9015), with a current frequency of four times yearly in March, June, September and December.

1. 1IASS - International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures - THE IASSiass-structures.org
2. 2IASS - International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures - Historyiass-structures.org
3. 3IASS - International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures - MEMBERSHIPiass-structures.org
4. 4IASS - International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures - Journal Infoiass-structures.org