Dezeen Magazine

Driftwood by AA Unit 2

This year's Architectural Association Summer Pavilion, designed by students from Unit 2 after a concept by 3rd year student Danecia Sibingo, will open in Bedford Square, London on 3 July.

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Called Driftwood, the plywood pavilion is the fourth in the annual AA Summer Pavilion series and will be open to the public until 25 July.

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See our story on Swoosh, last year's AA Summer Pavilion.

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See our story about the [C]Space Pavilion, built at the AA in early 2008.

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See our top ten most popular stories about pavilions.

Here's some info from the AA:

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AA School Celebration of Talent - Unveiling of Annual Summer Pavilion

AA School launches latest in extraordinary line up of multi-disciplinary projects

Winning pavilion embraces invention, experimentation and design intelligence.

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The Architectural Association School (www.aaschool.ac.uk) will take over Bedford Square, London on 3 July 2009 with its annual celebration of young architectural talent – showcasing the architectural intelligence that defines it as the world’s most renowned and influential school of architecture. Over 3000 visitors from across the world will come to view AA School Summer Pavilion and Projects Review on the evening of the 3rd as part of the schools extensive public programme at Bedford Square.

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Home to international architectural alumnae such as Zaha Hadid, Rem Koolhaas and Lord Rogers, the AA School has led the way with its radical, innovative and experimental approach since 1847. The summer pavilion competition winner Driftwood is just one example of the vibrant projects on offer this July when the school’s Projects Review transforms Bedford Square into a showcase for the future greats of the art and architecture world.

Driftwood was designed by concept designer Danecia Sibingo a 3rd year student, and a team that includes Lyn Hayek, Yoojin Kim, and Taeyoung Lee. It is neither art nor architecture, science nor ecological adventure, but a sculptural installation and prototype that defies classification. It embraces invention, experimentation, new materials and aesthetic intelligence. The pavilion was selected by a panel of seven eminent judges from the worlds of architecture, engineering, design, media and ecology. It provides a thoughtful, provoking reminder of the UK’s inextricable link to the sea - its undulating form created by the motion of the water, carried by waves and coming to rest in busy central London.

Now in its fourth year of building pavilions, Intermediate Unit 2 pavilion projects are led by tutors Charles Walker and Martin Self with technical advice from ARUP, this year led by Ching Luan Lau, Senior Engineer. The unit challenges students to create architectural space through the construction of a sustainable timber pavilion and is also sponsored by HOK architects who pride themselves on their global reach and ability to respond to the most demanding of design challenges. Driftwood is on show in Bedford Square until 25 July 2009.

Driftwood consists of an internal, sustainable spruce ‘Kerto’ plywood structure supplied by ecological Finnish timber suppliers FinnForest and adheres to a target of minimal material wastage. It was fabricated at Hooke Park, the Architecture Association’s 350-acre campus and workshop in West Dorset where the 2006 winning Fractal pavilion is permanently installed. The winning pavilion for 2007, Bad Hair was donated and re-homed at Kingston Maurward College, Dorset.

Brett Steele, Director, The Architectural Association School says: “The annual summer pavilion competition provides a unique opportunity for students to work together to design, develop and ultimately fabricate a professional standard architectural structure for the public to enjoy. Unparalleled in any other architectural school, it creates a collaborative working environment, nurturing inspiration and encouraging radical and fresh ideas which come to life in the form of these incredible structures.