as part of the winter stations design competition 2017, the beacon by joão araújo sousa & joana correia silva from JJs arquitectura is one of the five winners for this year’s edition. the installation is a vertical wooden structure reminiscent of a coastal lighthouse, in both its shape and meaning. it establishes a temporary donation hotspot in toronto and affirms itself as a social catalyst for aid, hope and cooperation within the local community. the beacon is currently on display at the woodbine beach till march 27.

JJs arquitectura the beacon winter stations toronto designboom
early morning at the woodbine beach

 

 

JJS arquitectura‘s winning entry for winter stations translates into the archetypical lighthouse conical shape, reduced to the simplest expression and conformed to the lifeguard stand proportions. with the support of selected local charities, the architects seek to establish the beacon as a temporary drop-off location for non-perishable items such as canned food or clothes. meanwhile, the lower section of the structure acts as a repository for such items — with strategically placed openings at different heights. finally, wanting to trigger an emotional response from the community, the structure is wrapped in aged wood, inducing the ambiguous feeling that it has always belonged there.

jjs arquitectura the beacon winter stations toronto designboom
inauguration day with the local community

 

 

the project represents an opportunity to establish a permanent network of donation hotspots in toronto, and provide a great addition to an urban park environment. it may also be repurposed as a wildlife observation tower, a wilderness shelter, a fire lookout tower and much more.

jjs arquitectura the beacon winter stations toronto designboom
the beacon is one of the five winners of the winter stations competition

jjs arquitectura the beacon winter stations toronto designboom
evening shot on the beach

jjs arquitectura the beacon winter stations toronto designboom
sets to capture the essence of a traditional lighthouses and trigger an emotional response from locals

jjs arquitectura the beacon winter stations toronto designboom
competition 3D render of the design

jjs arquitectura the beacon winter stations toronto designboom
the structure is set to be a temporary drop-off location for non-perishable items such as canned food or clothes

 

 

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: lea zeitoun | designboom