re-com-posed

World Expo Pavilion

602 Design Studio IV - University of Pennsylvania Spring 2021

In collaboration with: John Nedeau, Weiting Zhang

Instructor: Ben Krone

Site Location: Osaka, Japan

This pavilion seeks to spread awareness around global food waste. In spatial translation of this concept, the form explores the process of decomposition, incarnated architecturally in a system of structural ‘bones,’ wrapped in degrading, paneled ‘tissue,’ which degrades and sheds itself over the course of the Fair’s tenure.

This pavilion compiles multiple layers of wall/facades. On the exterior, it is a biodegradable multi-ply fabric that is applied in panels, which provides a different shading for the plants growing on the inside. Ramps are supported with exposed corten steel that would later provide another level of rusting and decomposition.

The concept of DECOMPOSITION is how the given form experiences more than one ‘life’ related to how it’s physically comprised. In this vein, our architectural experiments plays with the relationship between structure - the ‘bones’ so to speak - and facade - the ‘skin’ or ‘tissue’.

CONCEPT MODELS(LEFT) INTERIOR RENDER(BELOW)

Wall Section

Of the circulatory ramp system on the periphery, which houses the soil beds and plant life. Irrigation piping is channeled through the ramp system to underlay and irrigate the soil beds. And as the facade is opening up, the steel skeleton can turn into shaped benches

The facade itself is biodegradable abaca fabric engineered to weather and wither over the pavilion’s lifetime at the fair. The fabric would be clasped within Barrisols and adhere to the corten steel structural system.

CONCEPT CHUNK MODEL - ‘REBORN’ - DECADES LATER

The process of choreograph its progression from tidiness and order into its ‘After Life’ of decay and natural overgrowth that could be explored and occupied by exploration-minded individuals for years to come.

Interior Render

On the interior, more towards the core part of the onion, the walls are thicker and more permanent. In here the rammed earth walls hold it possible for plants to grow on with soil bags that are held back by a mesh wire.

The programmatic activities starts from an opening moment of the facade where the column extends into a bench to invite visitors in.

Layer 1 being plants and produce being cultivated in soil beds on the ramp system.

Layer 2 being the tasting room, with a standing bar and bench area. The walls in this area are made of steel-reinforced rammed earth and back-up to a green wall with soil bags and seed bombs constrained by aluminum mesh.

Layer 3 being a mushroom wall, growing familiar favorites like shiitake, oyster on mycelium bricks.

Layer 4 across to the compost area, food waste is deposited in bins within the wall chambers, receiving light and aeration through small lateral portholes and overhead wood slats.