Various Associates has used recycled materials, including waste plastic and wood, to build this blue-colored pavilion at DESIGN IN BAY AREA Exhibition, the architects conceived the pavilion as the representative of Shenzhen.

Named Pavilion for Design in Bay Area Exhibition, the pavilion was created for DESIGN IN BAY AREA, which was co-organized by several design institutes from the Greater Bay Area, and was co-curated by 21 designers from 8 cities in the region. 

As conceiving the exhibition hall, Various Associates had to consider Shenzhen's leading role in this event while also taking account of the demands and characters of all design institutes involved.

Image © Yongmao Li

Concept

With favourable geographic conditions, Shenzhen has developed into a charming modern metropolis over the decades, and trade ports have become one of its economic pillars. Meanwhile, like ocean waves, talents are rapidly pushing the city forward. 

The sea is inclusive as it admits hundreds of rivers, so is Shenzhen. It's a quite inclusive and vigorous city. Various Associates took its character as the design inspiration and thread, which surrounds the exhibitions of the eight cities. The team hoped to enable cultural exchanges and fusion among the cities, and to express the infinities of design. That's how the design concept and storyline "Wave" came into being.

Image © Yongmao Li

Prototype generation

Various Associates adopted recycled materials and modular construction method to reduce waste. The modular units enabled rapid assembly and disassembly on the site, and were also easy for transportation and storage. The design team abandoned "cool" reinforced concrete structures, but chose panels made from waste plastic and wood instead, to realize recycle and reuse of materials.

Image © Yongmao Li

Reuse of wasted plastic & wood

Chair, desk, wall or architecture?

Various Associates intended to break the boundary of the structures, which can shift among modules, space and architecture, in order to show more variations and possibilities. As deepening the form, the team also emphasized the productization and functionality of modules. Moreover, considering that furniture manufacturing industry is another distinctive feature of Shenzhen, the designers turned each modular unit into a valuable piece of furniture, which can be combined in various playful manners.

Image © Yongmao Li

"We hope to break the singular function of products. For instance, desk is a simple and common object in our daily life, but it can also be turned into wall, space or architecture rather than being restricted to its inherent function. We want to show the public more fun and imagination, and allow them to easily perceive the charm of design," said Various Associates founder.

As conceiving the modules, the design team referred to traditional mortise-and-tenon joints and the way that wooden furniture is assembled, and at the same time incorporated the flowing form of ocean waves. In this manner, they eventually figured out the shape of modular units, which were named "Wave".

Image © Yongmao Li

Assembly

Open day

The designers adopted environment-friendly, sustainable and quantifiable design approaches to work out the spatial pattern and circulation solutions, while also time subtly integrating the elements of products, furniture and pavilion, thereby producing a flexible spatial form that can be adjusted on the site according to different demands.

Image © Yongmao Li

Disassembly & Reuse

Bearing in mind the intentions of pollution reduction, environment protection and material reuse, Various Associates entrusted the organizer and the party in charge of dismantling work to recycle the modules after the exhibition, and send them to the next destination, a school project they are working on.

Those "Waves" will be utilized to modular assembly in art teaching activities in Art high school and will be also turned into installations, useful tables and chairs.

Image © Yongmao Li

Image © Yongmao Li

Image © Yongmao Li

Disassembly process. Image © Zebing Li

On-site assembly. Image © Zebing Li

Curves. Image © Various Associates

Deepening. Image © Various Associates

Like weaves, modular units can be freely stacked and combined at staggering heights. Image © Various Associates

Multiple variations and possibilities. Image © Various Associates

Common mortise and tenon joints & joints of wooden furniture. Image © Various Associates

Assembly of 'weaves'. Image © Various Associates

Enclosure wall. Image © Various Associates

Small pavilion. Image © Various Associates

Project info

Project name: Pavilion for Design in Bay Area Exhibition

Client: Shenzhen Institute of Interior Design

Location: Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center

Status: Completed, Aug 2020

Design team: Various Associates 

Project leader: Qianyi Lin 

Designer team: Dongzi Yang, Zebing Li, Zhichao Lin 

Top image © Yongmao Li

All images © Zebing Li, Yongmao Li 

> via Various Associates