How can we rethink the spaces that host cultural programmes? For Spanish architecture firm SelgasCano and French cultural corporate foundation Fondation d’entreprise Martell, transparency and environmental responsibility are good starting points.
The site-specific installation SelgasCano created for the Fondation looks nothing like the conventional pavilion – transparent pod-like structures with yellow cushions and seating take up the entire courtyard. Entirely recyclable, the Pavilion Martell proves that reducing the ecological impact of temporary venues can be done thoughtfully and beautifully – that downsizing is not the only way to sustainability.
SelgasCano and the Fondation do not reduce eco-friendliness to merely using the right materials; they tackle sustainability from the perspective of social responsibility and community initiative, too. Reusing some of the wood from a previous installation by Vincent Lamouroux, the Pavillon will be dismantled in at the end of June 2018 and rebuilt elsewhere in order to give it a second life.
‘Lightness has been a constant and integral aspect of our work, and we saw this project as a unique possibility to experiment and explore that concept further,’ say the architects. This emphasis on lightness directly contributes to the larger project of social responsibility the pavilion is inscribed in, as it reduces transportation costs and keeps material waste to a minimum.
The Pavilion Martell illustrates the different intersections between technologies, uses and materials; an important focal point for future projects developed by the foundation.
Until 30 June 2018, visitors can stroll through the pavilion or relax on the inflatable cushions during the workshops, concerts, and performances of the cultural programme created by the Fondation.
Location 16 Avenue Paul Firino Martell, 16100, Cognac, France
