During our 2016 Summer studio we were tasked with designing and constructing a small pavilion with commonly available construction materials. We were able to choose from a variety of locations around our school in Cambridge, Ontario, and we decided to pick a site beside the city's concrete flood wall.
Our pavilion was a series of plywood frames, held together with hinges to allow the structure to expand and collapse. Holes were cut in frames to create the spaces inside, and a series of slots were added to allow the floors to fold through the frames. The whole assembly was lifted off of the ground by two studs to provide a flat, level surface and reduce friction.
As a result, our final pavilion presents itself in two forms. When it is closed, it appears as a monolith; a solid stack of sheets. However, once the frames are pulled apart the space inside is revealed; a small staircase inviting guests up to a small space underneath the tree canopy and the cover of the frames, where they can rest using the top of the flood wall as a seat.
In collaboration with Bella Cho, Sean Quach, Shanze Shahbaz, Sean Tong, Martha Trivett, and Levi Vanweerden