Temporary pavilion [C]space in London
The Architectural Association Design Research Lab celebrates its 10th anniversary with a temporary pavilion by Alan Dempsey and Alvin Huang, situated on Bedford Square in London. The two architects created a shell structure made of Fibre-C, that remains on display until July 2008.
The project emerged from a competition for the “AADRLTenPointZero”- pavilion, that ended in November last year. The winning design by Alan Dempsey and Alvin Huang, both former students at the Design Research Laboratory, was anonymously chosen from 28 entries. It was selected based on criteria like constructability within a tight schedule and budget, simplicity and elegant form, effective use of material, etc. It is not surprising that the design somehow recalls Zaha Hadid, since one of the architects, Mr. Alvin Huang has already worked for her, and Hadid’s partner Patrik Schumacher was one of the project’s coordinators. The sinuous form creates an impression of continuity, although the skin reveals a deep, three-dimensional structure. The material Fibre C, which is also where the name [C]space derives from, performs as structure and skin, as floor, walls and furniture at the same time. Although the creators pretend the object had no inside or outside, light installations on the “inside” provide different colours that are shining through the cavernous skin during the night.