Balancing Pavilion. International competition

17/09/2013. By SCSTUDIO. April 2013, [Vyska] Russia
metalocus, LAURA CANTO

How to match Shukhov’s pioneering works with Vyksa’s metallurgical tradition and turn them into a contemporary pavilion?

Balancing Pavilion by SCSTUDIO. Courtesy of SCSTUDIO. Click above to see larger image.

Balancing Pavilion by SCSTUDIO. Courtesy of SCSTUDIO. Click above to see larger image.

Trasversal cutaway, Balancing Pavilion by SCSTUDIO. Courtesy of SCSTUDIO. Click above to see larger image.

Sections, Balancing Pavilion by SCSTUDIO. Courtesy of SCSTUDIO. Click above to see larger image.

General floor, Balancing Pavilion by SCSTUDIO. Courtesy of SCSTUDIO.

Back and front elevations, Balancing Pavilion by SCSTUDIO. Courtesy of SCSTUDIO. Click above to see larger image.

Constructive detail, Balancing Pavilion by SCSTUDIO. Courtesy of SCSTUDIO.

Diagram of tubes, Balancing Pavilion by SCSTUDIO. Courtesy of SCSTUDIO. Click above to see larger image.

Diagram of structural rigidity, Balancing Pavilion by SCSTUDIO. Courtesy of SCSTUDIO.

Balancing Pavilion by SCSTUDIO. Courtesy of SCSTUDIO.

Summary panel of the propose, Balancing Pavilion by SCSTUDIO. Courtesy of SCSTUDIO. Click above to see larger image.

SCS studio has knows the answer, awarded the second prize at the International competition which takes place annually in Vyksa, (Russia), with their proposal Balancing Pavilion, a small pavilion in the city deals with a double challenge: from one hand, to establish a dialogue with the innovative experimental structures of Vladimir Shukhov, trying to transfer the logic and the spirit of those architectures into a contemporary episode; from the other hand, to go beyond the functional predeterminations of the program, presenting a flexible and open pavilion, whose formal configuration wants to stimulate individual perception and sense alterations.

Metaphor

Longitudinal welded pipes, usually designed for oil and gas production, are the main products of Vyksa Steel Works, one of Russia’s oldest metallurgic centers, established in 1757. Thanks to the use of the metaphor, this activity, so central in Vyksa’s economical and social life, is transformed into one of the architectonic elements of Haptic Pavilion.

So, what in reality is steel, in the pavilion becomes a cluster of polycarbonate tubes, whose interaction with daylight produce a very warm and special effect in the relation between interior and exterior.

Starting from a simple frame-steel structure, Haptic Pavilion, as is known, is covered by hundreds of these tubes, with different diameters and lengths (0.10 to 0.50 m diameter, and 0.20 to 1.000m length). The combination of these different types allows to design very dynamic facades.

From inside the pavilion, polycarbonate tubes filtrate daylight and work as a very ephemeral membrane with the exterior. The visitor will not

perceive the difference between interior and exterior, he will enjoy a in-between space where many events will occur.

Experience

Haptic Pavilion wants to alter the perception of the user; wants to test and stimulate his senses. That’s why polycarbonate tubes are used.

Outside, the pavilion looks like a white permeable structure, floating over the ground. At the first glance, you don’t understand how it works from a structural point of view.

Tubes allow to create a very de-materialized object. Inside, daylight penetrates and is filtered by polycarbonate. The interplay between light and shadow produce an atmosphere, and boundaries between interior and exterior don’t exist anymore.

Flexibility

One of the other aspects of Haptic Pavilion is its flexible character, both functionally and structurally. From a programmatic point of view, the building is totally open to many uses: it can work as an exhibition center, because interior space flows freely without obstacles; it also serves as a concert room, or as auditorium, because ceiling is equipped with sound absorbing elements (8mm.); finally Haptic Pavilion can be also used to house workshops or similar events, since its interior distribution can be colonized according to several necessities.

Its simple process of assembling allows to transport it throughout the city, and installed in different locations.

Text .- Stefano Corbo