The purpose of this study was to control the form in which a material"s structural performance is expressed. By applying pinching deformations to an elastic strip, surface-active arch structures can be generated. Through a geometric approach, I found 3 parameters that control the curvature of the arch and showed that a wide range of arch shape can be generated through simple manipulation of the parameters. This material system is easy to construct and cost-effective to transport, making it a potentially powerful shelter. In the future, it can be developed into an expanded material system by introducing additional parameters.