Urban Routines Pavilion | MEL | Architecture and Design

Urban Routines pavilion was designed by studio MEL for the student graduation exhibition in the courtyard of the Institute for Media, Architecture and Design "Strelka" at the Red October former factory area.

The main task for us was to create a temporary, quickly assembled and transparent structure with a specific architectural character, providing favorable conditions for the exhibition. It was also necessary to keep the yard space free for lectures and events held during the exhibition. To meet these conditions, the structure had to be narrow and stretch along the side of the courtyard.

The pavilion is divided in accordance with the structure of the exhibition and consists of three parts.
The primer displays main guidelines, information about the participants and infographics. This part is facing the entrance of the courtyard, inviting visitors.  Main exhibition space is situated behind the primer. It has extensive exposition surfaces for posters and a podium for installations in the center. The structure is completed with a library, where you can get acquainted with the works of the students completed during the year, and latest publications of the institute.
The whole construction creates linear movement of visitors, but at the same time it's accessible from any direction.

Due to a limited budget and timing, we decided to make a simple and functional spatial structure made entirely of single material. Closely placed ribs of OSB make up a characteristic outer surface and serve as supporting elements for the walls. The translucent ribbed roof provides the exhibition space with natural diffused lighting. At night, the triangular segments of the ceiling are illuminated, creating artistic perception of the roof from the amphitheater nearby. Between the ribs on the facades LED spotlights are installed that illuminate the construction in the night time.

So, in addition to its' main function, the pavilion creates specific architectural background for the events taking place in the courtyard during the exhibition and creates a distinctive outdoor public space.