KOSMOS Architects and PARABASE join forces to craft the Permanently Temporary Pavilion, the winning entry for the Model Barcelona Architectures Festival 2023 in Barcelona. Constructed from borrowed, unused materials sourced from various storage facilities and construction sites across the city, this innovative installation reimagines urban space while addressing environmental concerns.
Embracing Circular Design
The pavilion serves a dual purpose: acting as both a central storage facility for materials and a public space. It showcases the city’s hidden resources and promotes circularity as a sustainable response to the construction industry’s environmental impact. Components sourced from Barcelona’s periphery are assembled into towering vertical totems, symbolizing their origins and forming the structural backbone of the pavilion.
Fostering Community Engagement
During the festival, the pavilion becomes a dynamic hub for citizen engagement. Visitors are encouraged to participate in material exchange, taking items they need while contributing their own surplus materials. Beyond serving as a storage facility, the pavilion functions as a workshop, an information center, and a venue for public discourse and debate, fostering a sense of community and collaboration.
Advocating for Material Reuse
Permanently Temporary advocates for the circular life of materials, emphasizing their potential for future reuse. Components are assembled temporarily, allowing for easy disassembly and return to storage after the festival. This approach ensures that materials remain available for future projects, contributing to a sustainable and resource-efficient urban ecosystem.
Through the Permanently Temporary Pavilion, KOSMOS Architects and PARABASE demonstrate the transformative power of design in redefining urban space and promoting environmental stewardship.
