The importance of building models cannot be overestimated. A scaled frame of the structure which is to support the fabric enclosures is a tool : (1) it allows for experimentation with points of attachment, (2) it shows the configuration a membrane's surface will take, (3) it suggests the cutting patterns & the positions of seams, and when finished, (4) it produces a model essential to presentations that are volumetric by nature.
In fabric structures seams are the equivalent of a structural element, thus when positioned to connect with some dominant feature in the surroundings, seams visually anchor the fabric structure into the existing support structure & space. Since in actual installations fabric panels are made up of several plies sewn together, an accurately scaled replication facilitates the calculation of how many plies and yards of fabric the installation will require (see Cutting and Sewing).
Best suited for models are wooden frames: pushpins can be used to fasten a membrane's edge during experimentation, introduce or release tension at various points, and hold a membrane in place while the glue applied to the edges is drying.
All models shown are 3/4" scale (most adaquate for all purposes).
Note: To facilitate experimentation, see Loom for Experimentation. For shapes in-the-round wire frames found in lamp shades were useful.
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Renovation 
See The
Roof_Deck_Study