pricegore and yinka ilori's temporary london pavilion is a celebration of color

pricegore, an emerging architecture practice, has teamed up with artist yinka ilori to design the ‘colour palace’, a temporary pavilion in london. the project is the outcome of an open design competition organized by the london festival of architecture and dulwich picture gallery. the structure has been constructed on the lawn outside the institution’s john soane-designed building where it will remain until september 22, 2019.

all images by adam scott

this summer, the london festival of architecture explores the theme of ‘boundaries’ while dulwich picture gallery celebrates ‘innovation’. pricegore and yinka ilori’s design is a testament to universal themes of color, pattern, and celebration, and finds parallels between african and european cultures to create a building that reflects the diverse cultural experience of south east london.

the pavilion draws on many shared traditions of geometry and pattern in architecture, and the common solution of raising storage buildings on straddle stones. raised on monumental feet, the lightweight pavilion is assembled from thousands of individual pieces of hand painted timber. the combination of these elements creates layered facades of bold geometric pattern that shift and merge according to viewpoint recalling the fabric markets of lagos, nigeria.

the squat volume of the pavilion is informed by the cubic composition of soane’s adjacent grade II listed dulwich picture gallery. internally, the pavilion resembles a small theatre-in-the-round, and visitors can climb to a perimeter gantry held within the depth of the slender structure. the versatile public space will be used for a variety of creative activities for visitors of all ages, with a program of neon life drawing, supper clubs, storytelling, and yoga.

‘the brief for the dulwich pavilion demanded a celebratory response to john soane’s outstanding historic architecture, and having yinka as part of the colour palace design team has really helped us to achieve that,’ explain dingle price and alex gore of pricegore. ‘the colour palace has been a wonderful opportunity for us to design our first prominent civic building: alongside several exciting housing projects we hope it will lead to further civic and cultural projects and the chance to work with great clients like the dulwich picture gallery.’

‘the beauty of the pavilion’s design is that it stands bold and proud surrounded by the history of sir john soane’s iconic building, celebrating history and culture,’ continues yinka ilori. ‘its patterns and shapes calmly welcome you from a distance until you get closer and closer, and you’re blown away with an explosion of color that immediately demands your attention. I’m so excited to see how people react to the colour palace and how it will bring people from different cultures and communities together. I’m hoping to see people arrive and leave with a smile on their faces — what could be better for the summer!’

‘I’m thrilled to finally see the colour palace: from the moment we first saw pricegore and yinka ilori’s proposals we knew it would be something special,’ adds tamsie thomson, director of the london festival of architecture. ‘as one of the highlights of the 2019 london festival of architecture, this amazing project is the embodiment of what happens when you transcend architectural and artistic boundaries, and I’m looking forward to spending time there alongside thousands of people this summer.’

‘the colour palace a joyful expression of everything that great art and architecture can be — fresh, exciting and inviting,’ concludes jennifer scott, the sackler director of dulwich picture gallery. ‘the 2017 pavilion introduces new visitors to dulwich picture gallery as well as championing emerging architectural talent. we are thrilled to be partnering with the london festival of architecture for a second time to create this distinctive summer destination.’

the design, which overcame competition from a field of 150 entries to win the competition, builds on the success of the first ever dulwich pavilion in 2017 designed by IF_DO. it is intended that this year’s edition, which remains open until september 22, 2019, will have a future life after its time at the dulwich picture gallery.

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project info:

design: pricegore with yinka ilori
client: dulwich picture gallery, london festival of architecture
fabricator: RASKL
structural engineer: engineersHRW
furniture: arper, very good and proper
pavilion paint partner: mylands
start on site date: 20 may 2019
completion: 8 june 2019
gross internal area: 145 sqm / 1,560 sqf
form of contract: JCT minor works
construction cost: £150,000
photography: adam scott