MARC FORNES/THEVERYMANY fabricates vaulted willow pavilion in edmonton

MARC FORNES/THEVERYMANY fabricates vaulted willow pavilion in edmonton
all images courtesy of marc fornes /theverymany

erected within edmonton, canada’s borden park is the ‘vaulted willow’ — an architectural folly that explores lightweight, ultra-thin, self-supported shells by marc fornes/theverymany. conceived through the development of custom computational protocols of structural form-finding and descriptive geometry, the pavilion is the result of a reciprocal relationship that encompasses experiments in non-linear architectural typology (multiple entries, distributed feet with branching and spiral legs…), structural differentiation (bifurcation of structural download forces, tighter radii of leg profiles for rigidity…) and programmatic possibilities for a winding playground (hide and seek…).

the ‘vaulted willow’ within the context of borden park in edmonton, canada

the scheme is composed of a striated skin that is an assemblage of intricate structural shingles (721 aluminium stripes) of three different thicknesses. these elements are digitally fabricated that overlap through their extended tabs, doubling their material thickness, and are fastened into place by 14,043 connectors. the entirety of the structure is secured through 60 epoxy concrete anchors, fixing 24 base plates to a concrete pad of 240 cubic feet.

the pavilion is a morphology of non-linear architectural typologies

the multi-colored ‘vaulted willow’ draws its colors from the surrounding borden park, in which the tones and hues derived from the site’s immediate environment have been exaggerated to the point of artificiality —  blues and greens blending into synthetic magenta, all overlapping to reveal a two-way cheshire scheme.

the ‘vaulted willow’ by marc fornes/theverymany has been commissioned by the edmonton arts council.

view of inside the pavilion

detail of the colorful shingles which form the striated skin of the architectural folly

the winding and curving structure offers places in which to hide

detail of the aluminium skin

‘vaulted willow’ by marc fornes/theverymany

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