The X

Ahmedabad, India

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The Cantilevered Wave Pavilion

The X

Ahmedabad, India

Firm

Immersive

Type

Commercial › Exhibition Center
Cultural › Pavilion Sculpture

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2025

SIZE

0 sqft - 1000 sqft

BUDGET

$10K - 50K

Text description provided by the architect Dixit Tank. Set within a serene landscape, the installation emerges from an exploration of sustainable materials and temporary, assembly-based architectural systems. The project investigates bamboo as a primary structural material, focusing on mobility, adaptability, and responsiveness to its surroundings through technical experimentation and hands-on construction.

Conceived as a compact, two-level seating installation, the structure encourages collective interaction and shared experiences during festive gatherings. Inclusivity forms a key design driver: the middle level is designed to provide comfortable and accessible seating for elderly users, while the upper level caters to younger generations, allowing the installation to be actively used across age groups.

The project positions assembly, sustainability, and temporality as both functional and experiential aspects of the design. Bamboo is used as the primary construction material, with joinery executed using jute threads and metal threaded rods with nuts and bolts, crafted by an experienced local artisan. A series of small-scale joinery details were developed through a hybrid approach that combines traditional bamboo craftsmanship with contemporary construction techniques. The seating elements themselves are constructed using smaller bamboo sections to maintain lightness and structural efficiency.

Structurally, the installation draws inspiration from a scissor mechanism, where intersecting “X” members function as pin joints working primarily in compression, while horizontal bamboo members act in tension to complete a stable system. To avoid conventional cross-bracing, a modular space-frame system was introduced beneath the seating benches, enhancing overall stability and load distribution.

As a free-standing structure, the installation required a carefully balanced approach between mobility and structural safety. Accommodating seated users and varying live loads presented a key challenge, leading to the development of a lightweight system using angled bamboo members. With spans reaching nearly three meters, controlling bamboo deflection and preventing bending became a critical structural concern.

By integrating traditional bamboo construction techniques with a contemporary modular structural system, the installation demonstrates how low-tech, sustainable materials can be reimagined through thoughtful design and experimentation. The project stands as an exploration of sustainable, temporary architecture that is publicly inclusive, structurally efficient, and easily transportable, allowing it to adapt seamlessly to diverse spatial contexts.