Dream pavilion, Museum Gardens, Bethnal Green London UK
European Architectural Competition
- MAIN STREET VIEW / (Tube Station - St. John’s Church - Entrance of V&A) The reflection of people relaxing above eye level, as they appear floating on a white canvas, creates a memorable impression that intrigues to explore what is happening, to see again but directly what is reflected but not actually seen.
DREAMS DON’T HAVE TO HAVE EXISTENCE TO EXIST.*
*Paraphrase of Robert Smithson's quote on mirroring 'You don't have to have existence to exist. In the Yucatan: Mirroring presenceand absence by Susan Boettger, in ‘Robert Smithson’ edited by Eugene Tsai, Berkeley Los Angeles London: University of California Press, 2005 p.201'
The proportions of the pavilion are determined by the size of a typical bed stretching its width to the limit (2,30 X 26,00 m = 60,00 m2). The result of this decision is maximum visual presence and an unusual spatial experience. The positioning of this linear volume aligned and close to the main street;
- enlarges the visual impact to the main street
- defines the empty open air space at the center of the proposed area by means of a barrier to the main street in order to create a friendly and welcoming microenvironment in the heart of the Museum Gardens.
- introduces a visual dialogue between the entrance of V&A Museum and the tube access, St.John’s Church, a visual linear pointing device between them, parallel to the traffic.
The concept is to juxtapose the users of the pavilion with their reflection and reflections of the environment aiming to produce fragmented rearrangements of reality. The activity we want to generate is the relaxation in a comfortable space, an isolated niche from the street. The 45 degree mirrored roof of the pavilion in combination with what is happening inside and outside of it, produces two distinctive images ; MAIN STREET VIEW / The reflection of people relaxing above eye level, as they appear floating on a white canvas & PARK VIEW / The hovered reflection of the sky is in total contrast with the built and natural environment.
People are invited to nest inside, as they like, and take a short or long break of their daily routine. To daydream, to totally relax, to take a nap, sleep and perhaps dream...
The resting area is equipped with matresses and pillows, covered with weather proof texture. A wooden step, a linear shelf and the possibility of adding a curtain enhances the experience of the users
- PARK VIEW / The hovered reflection of the sky when the pavilion is approched from the park, is in total contrast with the built and natural environment, enhanced by the image of people resting beneath that reflection, creates a poetic notion of dreamstate and a sense of still time.