City of Dreams Pavilion

The Detour Pavilion was a competition entry for the City of Dreams Pavilion 2019, a temporary structure envisioned for an urban park. This project was a collaboration with architect Yvonne Choy, exploring lightweight and adaptable construction techniques.

Concept & Structural Approach.

The pavilion’s form was inspired by mathematical curves, particularly hyperbolas and asymptotes, applied through a woven chainlink structure supported by bamboo or rebar bundles. These geometric principles created a dynamic, semi-permeable space, engaging the surrounding environment with both natural light and airflow regulation.

Material & Fabrication Strategy.

The design minimized fabrication by using pre-stocked or donated materials, integrating:

Chainlink fabric as the primary enclosure material, shaped through a weaving process.
Rebar bundles acting as structural asymptotes, anchoring the pavilion.
Prefabricated concrete footing blocks providing stability while allowing for easy disassembly.
Lightweight scaffold elements, ensuring a modular, reusable framework.

A key design principle was cost efficiency, ensuring the pavilion could be assembled, disassembled, and repurposed with minimal environmental impact. The total budget was estimated at $7,980, covering:

Fabrication: Minimal on-site labor, with material reuse emphasized.
Installation & Transport: A team of professionals and volunteers working on-site.
De-installation: Facilitating reuse by repacking and redistributing materials.

Architectural Significance.

This proposal sought to redefine temporary pavilions by blending structural efficiency with artistic expression. It embraced an open-ended approach, allowing its form to evolve based on site conditions, material availability, and human interaction.

The Detour Pavilion stands as an exploration of parametric tensile structures, linking mathematical abstraction with sustainable urban design.