The architectural pavilion is often touted as a testing ground for ideas. Whether focusing on concepts of space-making or material and technological innovations, the pavilion offers an opportunity to present a different approach to architectural design. While these pavilions are inherently temporary and typically short-lived in nature (only 6 months - 1 year), it is important to remember that all buildings and their materials are indeed temporary, just with varying lifespans.
After a pavilion/building’s lifespan has concluded the best-case scenario is each material is sent back to its proper recycling loop. While this is the hopeful outcome, it is not always the case with most architectural materials considering their complex state of existence that often involves substantial transformations (cuts, notches, etc.) and irreversible connections (nails, glues, adhesives, etc.) that form composite assemblies with fewer protocols for recycling. WoodStack is a project that challenges the notion of permanence in building construction while questioning our perception of material value by blurring the lines between what is a stack of lumber, a material depot, and a structure.
Working with standard dimensional lumber, the project’s exterior appearance resembles monolithic stacks of material commonly found throughout the lumber industry. Just as the lumber yard is a temporary resting ground for materials before they move to their next destination, WoodStack’s design and construction techniques embrace a similar model of temporary existence as an architectural pavilion while allowing its materials to be easily disassembled and reused in another lifecycle.
The project is comprised of two parallel stacks of lumber that form an interior space for occupants to pause and contemplate whether each stack constitutes a shelf for the collection of materials or a wall assembly. To preserve each member of the pavilion, a series of concrete footings lift the project off the ground to protect it from moisture while a weather-resistant cladding is applied to protect both occupant and material. At the top of the pavilion, WoodStack is purposely left unfinished implying that it exists in a constant state of flux with materials being added and removed as needed for other projects.
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