people's architecture office adds wheels to expandable canopy

designed by beijing-based people’s architecture office, the ‘people’s canopy’ is thought as architecture for events and architecture as an event in itself. the two-story high expandable roof structure is set on bicycle wheels so that it can be cycled by citizens, paraded around the city, and stretched to the length of entire streets, linking disconnected public spaces. the canopy can collapse to the size of a double-decker bus so that it can be pedaled from one location to another. when parked, it can be opened like an accordion to 12-meters in length at a span of ten meters, thus turning unused areas into ones for pedestrians and events.

the two-story high expandable roof structure is set on bicycle wheels so that it can be cycled by citizens
all images courtesy of people’s architecture office (PAO), ICP, bernie blackburn, tony worrall, neon creative studios

the design was first commissioned by the city of preston in the UK and ‘in certain places’, an art program for urban intervention and events. the aim of the program is to re-energize the city’s grand but declining historic center. urban sprawl and air conditioned shopping malls have driven residents away from the open streets and publics spaces of the rainy city. the design references expandable canopies popular in southern china typically used by small businesses like restaurants and bars to temporarily expand their spaces into parking lots and public sidewalks.

the structure can be paraded around the city, and stretched to the length of entire streets

following their debut in preston, the ‘people’s canopies’ were features in the 2015 bi-city biennale of urbanism/architecture in hong kong. installed in kowloon park, they were continually relocated, expanded and contracted to support various public activities. events were planned for the canopies but the pubic was also encouraged to engage in unexpected ways.

when parked, it can be opened like an accordion to 12-meters in length at a span of ten meters

the aim of the program is to re-energize the city’s grand but declining historic center

the design references expandable canopies popular in southern china typically used by small businesses

they temporarily expand their spaces into parking lots and public sidewalks

over a dozen canopies were designed and fabricated in beijing

a series of events were organized around the ‘people’s canopies’

festival attendees under the canopy

the canopy can collapse to the size of a double-decker bus

film screening of hong kong trilogy

project info:

client: in certain places
location: preston, lancashire, england
date of completion: september 2015
principal: he zhe, james shen, zang feng
project team: xu xi, jiang hao, charlotte yu
photographer: people’s architecture office (pao), icp, bernie blackburn, tony worrall, neon creative studios

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: juliana neira | designboom