The continuing development of design, analysis, and construction techniques of shell and spatial structures has resulted in an increasing fund of information of practical interest to architects, engineers, and builders.

The IASS, founded by Eduardo Torroja in 1959, has as its goal the achievement of further progress through an interchange of ideas among all those interested in lightweight structural systems such as lattice, tension, membrane, and shell structures.

The Association is governed by its Executive Council, elected by the Members. The Council, in turn, elects the President, Vice Presidents and Treasurer, and appoints Working Group chairmen.