Dynamic Pavilion

The Muscat Pavilion was born out of the visiting school programme. We were asked to look at the design and development of an experimental structure for the German university of Technology in Oman. The Pavilion was to become the centrepiece of a brand new campus designed by Hoehler and Partners in Muscat for the University. Our Aim was to represent the university’s approach into experimental learning, research and hands-on building, the entire project was based on collaboration between the students and the office and other professional within the field. Our design would celebrate local material and craft and will seek to address cultural and design issues within Oman. Muscat has a varied climate, with levels of humidity changing throughout the year. Advances in computational design strategies with manufacturing now give us the capability to design structures which are responsive to climatic conditions in this case the change in humidty.  Creating a completely novel approach to design and generating a new design process. Once which no longer sees design separate to climatic conditions or issue of sustainability as bolt one, only to be added at the end of project to tick sustainable check points. Here we experiment with a new approach where the structure and environment evolve as a result of and iterative process and conversation between material, structure and environment.   The pavilions level of porosity vary through the year as a result of change in humidity, the materials logics developed allow for this to happen without a necessity for mechanical and electrical systems. Creating a responsive and sustainable structure which serves as shelter and indicator of climatic conditions.