1/2 – 2013

Pavilions

Architecture tends to be narrowly defined by economic key figures and functional constraints. Greater freedom is allowed in the design of smaller buildings that are often used only seasonally or for a shorter time: pavilions. Their small size allows a wealth of design investment. Limited spans, thin envelopes and manageable costs permit daring experiments with construction, space and material, driven by the search for the new. Often pavilions do not serve existential needs but rather the purposes of culture, experiencing the landscape or sociability. They are often found where people are more relaxed and while away their time by taking a stroll: in gardens and parks. Precisely on this account there is something light about them – and this light-hearted quality is associated with a special delight in transformation. The potential of small buildings to transform urban situations is often underestimated. Pavilions on urban squares and in public space attract attention, they organise and dominate the surrounding space like freely placed sculptures. And they define the scale of larger buildings.