butterfly pavilion by 3deluxe clad with over 4,000 aluminum flowers

butterfly pavilion by 3deluxe clad with over 4,000 aluminum flowers
all images © 3deluxe, courtesy of torsten seidel, björn asmussen, joaquín busch

al noor island is the latest tourist attraction to be built in the city of sharjah, in the united arab emirates. the man-made isle was designed by austrian artist andré heller, and hosts a range of features, including a 230m² ‘butterfly pavilion’ by german studio 3deluxe. the park was officially opened this week, with further projects slated for construction in coming months.

the roof reaches 13 meters high at some points, and has horizontal spans across a surface of 800m²

the ‘butterfly pavilion’, whose ornamental roof structure gives the island its defining characteristic, houses more than 500 species in a unique biosphere. inside the intervention’s glass-box exterior, a 3D-modeled surface — made of thermoformed krion — extends seamlessly across all walls and the floor’s entirety without repeating a single pattern.

three interlocking, freeform sections serve to counterbalance each other providing higher stability overall

the highly complex roof is composed of a load-bearing 3D frame with over 4,000 golden aluminum leaves of various sizes. the shape is the product of intense formal explorations using parametric design practices, and includes considerations for traditional arabian ornamentation. the result is an overlaying of materials and moods that blends into a complex, yet simple, spatial experience.

the structure rests on only nine points and three pillars

back inside, is a fully-operational café. drawing influence from water lilies, the space is dominated by a light sculpture that hovers above the main seating area. dividing walls that resemble petals that have fallen to the earth, paired with comfortable furniture, provide a pleasantly cool respite from the always-intense local sunlight. 

individual roof elements are fastened by means of intelligent node connectors

the freeform roof is composed of a load-bearing 3D frame with over 4,000 golden aluminum leaves 

the ‘butterfly pavilion’ provides visitors with a holistic, multisensory experience

the entire roof was prefabricated and assembled on site

butterfly aviary

looking to al noor island from sharjah mainland, ‘buttefly pavilion’ visible to right 

project info:

project: butterfly pavilion, noor island, sharjah, U.A.E.
location: noor island, sharjah city, sharjah, U.A.E.
inauguration: december 15, 2015
area: 820m²
contracting authority: shurooq, sharjah, U.A.E.
client: andré heller, artevent GmbH, austria
architects: 3deluxe, germany
interior architects: 3deluxe, germany
roof construction: seele middle east, dubai, U.A.E.
pavilion construction: waagner biro gulf L.L.C., dubai, U.A.E.
interior works: candido hermida, spain
interior material: krion
light: HB-laserkomponenten GmbH, germany
planting: greenworks, dubai, U.A.E.
images © 3deluxe: courtesy of torsten seidel (1), björn asmussen (2, 6, 9-12), joaquín busch (3-5, 7, 8)

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions  feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: nick brink | designboom