The Melting Pavilion is a competition entry, proposed as an abstraction of Arctic Sea ice. The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the globe, a sombre reminder of the ongoing climate crisis. My generation of designers is facing a climate catastrophe which should drastically impact how we think about the built environment, materiality and energy use. The melting pavilion aims to provocatively symbolise this crisis as the primary design brief for the coming decade.
The Melting Pavilion is completely static, yet appears to be in movement, transforming dynamically from one state to another. The design is articulated as four L shaped elements, deconstructed in varying orientations and at different points of sinking. Therefore, the proportion and perception of the pavilion is completely unique in each elevation.
A treated softwood structure is proposed, finished in cladding made from waste materials. Smile Plastics can supply panels made from recycled chopping boards and plastic packaging. The panels are completely weatherproof and can be easily machined, drilled, cut, CNC routed and fixed using adhesives and screws. In the ‘blue dappled’ finish, this material has a depth and vibrancy reminiscent of the Arctic landscape.
The pavilion is completely permeable in plan, arranged across a platform of seven floating pontoons on the canal. It is a prototype shelter which hopes to provide a temporary moment to pause and reflect on this site, as an encouragement to move toward an environmentally responsible future together.
The Melting Pavilion, Regents Canal 2020