Rainbow after the storm

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Rainbow After the Storm pavilion in front of St Anne’s Church, Soho. Image: Aaron Hargreaves b

Entering the first portal. Image: Aaron Hargreaves

AFTER THE STORM

LFA / Architecture LGBT+ / Foster + Partners Pop-Ups, Display, Exhibit & Set Design

Rainbow After the Storm stands as a reminder that, for the LGBTQ+ community, Covid-19 is not the first pandemic of recent times. Just as Covid-19 has paralysed communities worldwide, the global HIV crisis has had a disproportionate effect upon LGBTQ+ people, their families, and friends. Rainbow After the Storm reflects on the experiences and responses to these two health emergencies, while evoking a message of positivity and togetherness, and signalling the end of the fear, stigma and loneliness in times of adversity.

The pavilion features two portals, representing the HIV and Covid-19 pandemics. The small, compressed entrances to these are shaped to allow only one person to enter at a time. The journey starts out as dark and slightly uncomfortable, symbolising the fear, uncertainty and isolation people have been through during both pandemics. The portals gradually become lighter and bigger towards the centre, creating a light-filled arena that hopes to bring people together and highlight the power of the collective.

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