Tokyo-based practice Nonscale designed the Sky Pavilion for a lawn in the Museum Gardens, a park neighbouring the V&A Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green. Nonscale won the annual Triumph Pavilion competition, an annual showcase structure to spotlight the work of an architect or design team. This year, architects and designers were asked to investigate how the sky changes the perception of architectural structures.
The sky is a complex sphere with such elements as sun, moon, stars and clouds all adding to the dramatic effects of colour, day, night, texture, rain, sunshine etc. It was a subject that challenged the designers to create a unique space that will intrigue and invite visitors to appreciate the role the sky and its elements play in the perception of architectural structures, our well-being and the world around us as a whole.
Nonscale’s winning entry represents the fallen North Star accompanied by a number of smaller stars from the Sky in dialogue with the sun on the earth’s axis of rotation as illustrated with the sundial platform base of the Pavilion.
The resulting Pavilion is a self-supporting structure measuring approximately 4 meters in height and 62 sqm in area, constructed primarily out of stainless steel composite and supported by sold steel core and structured steel ground anchors with carbon steel heads. The entire structure weighs approximately 2,004kg with the large stars weighing 60kg and the small stars 27kg; all supported within an interlocking link and ground base plate system to create an intriguing presentation with its mirrored platform base.
all images by Giacomo Cannata © ArchTriumph