WARP Pavilion is a design experiment seeking to achieve light control in space through bent-wood members that give an effect of global-curvature. The sheets of wood are placed within a lightweight timber shell that is twisted to efficiently frame the interior.
Testing using 1:2 prototype further allowed the design team to manipulate the material to achieve playful geometric shadows.
Located firmly on the flat planar surface of the gardens, the pavilion will remain to function as botanical space; turning the Angel Meadows Park into a new and comfortable area where locals could take a rest or read a book.
Eco compatibility - Affordability - Ease of Construction.
Detail showing the connection between steel frame and bent wood
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It is about marrying an age-old material, like timber, with an advanced technique like steam bending to achieve such spaces. Delicate handling of the fabrication was done to form the pavilion's complex three-dimensional form with readily available materials and a streamlined assembly process at a minimal cost. The column-free structure therefore not only reaches large spans but with economical and ecological usage of materials.
Peck, E., 1957. Bending Solid Wood To Form. [Washington, D.C.]: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service.
Raffield, T., 2019. Steam Bending Technique. [online] Available at: <https://www.tomraffield.com/blogs/blog/steam-bending-q-a-with-our-workshop-team> [Accessed 26 April 2018].
Schleining, L., 2001. The Complete Manual Of Wood Bending. Fresno, CA: Linden Pub.