Metamorphosis

By Schmid Architects

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Connection to Harringay Warehouse District

The proposed pavilion relates to the DYI spirit of the warehouse district and promotes the participation by the community. All of the warehouses were built by laymen and have been modified and extended throughout time by its inhabitants. It contains a multitude of design ideas, different approaches and views, as opposed to most other houses which were design by a single architect.
The diversity of the community is reflected in the architecture that surrounds them, and this proposal wants to take on this approach, giving the community the power over the design.

Proposal Outline

The proposed design takes its inspiration from the Warehouse community, where the empty warehouses served the residents as a shell/framework in which they build their homes according to their own ideas. Many units were built autonomously by laypeople which brought out a vibrant architecture representing the diversity and creativity of their inhabitants. For the pavilion, this framework is translated into a modular structure which can be used by the community to bring in their own ideas. The framework provides endless possibilities to create spaces which can be used in many different ways.

The heart of the pavilion is the flexible space in the centre. It can be transformed easily by the residents for different uses such as markets, exhibitions, performances thanks to the modular structure. The structure aims to encourage experiments with space through its simplistic build up, it can be modified, extended or dismantled & reused. The grid is the double length of two euro palettes, whereby the pallets can be used as infill elements, i.e. as walls or counter fronts. The framework also allows for an easy way to build roofs in order to create indoor spaces.

Besides the flexible space, there are three fixed elements which form part of the initial pavilion: The Periscope, The Black Box and the Art Box. They mark the fix points and serve as attractions for the visitors of the London Festival of Architecture. The periscope is a structure with two mirrors creating a visual connection to the surrounding warehouses from the otherwise rather confined site. The Black Box is an introverted, isolated space with mirrors on 3 sides. This doubles every dimension inside the box, letting the interior space appear 8 times larger from the inside than perceived from the outside. The Art Box is an element where the artwork of local residents can be projected on. Consisting of only a projector and simple sheeting it is a cost-effective way to project the content to the outside, particularly visible from Seven Sisters Road.

Throughout time, often used parts of the structure might become more permanent, while others disappear. It is imagined that after some time most of the initial elements get transformed into new uses, and the pavilion morphs into a completely new shape, representing the imagination of the community rather than a single person.