Umbrella House
For the design biennale in Milan in 2008, Kengo Kuma and his team developed an original concept for a temporary structure. Important considerations in this project were the choice of material for the skin - which was to be a product commonly available on the market - and a technically simple form of construction. An umbrella-like concept was chosen that would be easy to handle, light in weight and capable of being folded up. Not least, it was to provide protection against the rain. The actual umbrella used for the pavilion is not something available on the market, however. The design was modified in a number of ways: although the supporting framework resembles that of a conventional umbrella, it was specially developed for the pavilion. The membrane consists of Tyvek, a functional textile that resembles felt paper, the thermally fused polythene fibres of which lend it a high density. Used mainly for packaging, as an office material and for protective clothing, this product is described as a durable kind of "synthetic paper".
