This project is our response to call for submissions into Ideas Competition for a Pavilion Space that would serve public gatherings during World Cup 2014 in Rio de Janeiro. Our approach was to create a bermed field space for seating and leisure while creating viewing space for small soccer fields. In the center of the site we have placed the entire program giving it great central location, visibility and ease of access. Also, at the center is located the Aerostat that would serve multiple functions – provide surface for video projection and live feed from World Cup matches as well as cistern for rain water that would be misted down from tethers. This would create a comfortable microclimate for visitors during hot Rio days. This project was designed as collaboration between Erik, Darren and me. My tasks were to help with design, create visualization (3DS Max, Photoshop), help with modeling (Rhino and Grasshopper) as well as help with design narrative and presentation board layout (InDesign, Illustrator).
Form Creation:
The idea for the “spoke” shape came from a football itself. If someone was to take one of the faces of truncated icosahedron and its surrounding 5 pentagons, then go on to lay them flat on a plane, then you would end up with a shape that become a base of our exploration. In our opinion it was a clear reference to geometry of a soccer ball and would be understood easily. We then proceeded to perform a series of modifications on that base shape based on program requirements as well as aesthetic and environmental considerations until we arrived at the final solution:
Program and Function:
All of the program requirements like services and amenities are located in the center. All of the public areas are pushed outside of the “building” and into the open air, mesh fabric covered areas. Once of the main requirements for this venue was a projection screen or in general ability to watch world cup games in progress. Our response to that was to create an Aerostat with a 360 degree projection capabilities. It was also envisioned that water would collect at the cistern located at the top of the Aerostat and then feed a system of misters below. Misters would be embedded in the mesh fabric that draped over the areas closest to the core functions providing cool and shaded seating areas.
