London-based architecture and interior design practice Red Deer have designed and hand-built a temporary pavilion for community F Camp at Burning Man 2019. Led by Red Deer co-founder and lead architect Lucas Che Tizard, the pavilion was created in order to provide a space for congregation and facilitate F Camp’s conversation and cultural narrative.
By day the structure provides shade with an opening at the top that frames the Nevada desert skyline. By night the opening provides ventilation for a central fire for F Camp members to gather around. The structure was designed to feel open from a distance and intimate when inside, achieved by elevating the structure off the ground.
Bringing the outside in, the interior of the pavilion was focused around a desert sun inspired colour palette with blush and sandy hues creating a natural transition inside. A carpet of Moroccan style patterned rugs and colourful mandala bean bags created a comfortable and inviting area for community members, with Macrame pendants and hand painted art adding decoration. The structure was created as a collaboration and as such, the interior evolution of the structure was also encouraged. With music key to the usage of the pavilion for F Camp, a piano and DJ deck was incorporated inside with an eclectic mix of styles played day and night.
In keeping with the 2019 Burning Man theme of ‘metamorphoses’ and the event’s principles of sustainability and leave no trace, Tizard comments: “The installation will be re-used at a forthcoming festival on the West Coast and we are encouraging the pavilion to be utilised where possible before returning to Burning Man next year. We don’t see the Pavilion as being finished. It will evolve and grow. One idea is to make a series of extensions and add a communal hammock in the upper opening.”
Red Deer designed and hand-built the structure in collaboration with F Camp, structural engineers Nous Engineering, metal workers Bay Metals and awning specialists Artisan Awnings. The F Camp pavilion is the second installation designed by Red Deer for Burning Man. In 2015 Red Deer designed and built Lûz in conjunction with Structure Mode and Weber Industries. Lûz is a six metre high clear pyramid made up of twenty seven 30mm thick reciprocal Plexiglass modules. As the name suggests Lûz (Spanish for light) is dedicated to the celebration of light.