Students showcase pavilion designs



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Architecture students at the University of Westminster, London have had the opportunity to showcase their pavilion designs at a number of iconic London locations during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The University of Westminster designs on display are ‘London Dresser’ by Design Studio 17, which is being displayed at The Shell Centre at Southbank; ‘Streetscape Carousels’ by Studio PUP, which are at five different locations including Norwood Cemetery and Borough Market, and ‘Aurora’ by Design Studio 15, situated in Victoria Park. 

The three groups are all made up of students from the Master of Architecture (MArch) Part 2 course.

The installations form part of a programme presented by the Greater London Authority (GLA) and the Mayor of London: WONDER.  Students from the University of Westminster, home to one of the UK’s leading architecture schools, beat off stiff competition and were chosen from numerous submissions to have their projects made and displayed throughout London until 12 September as part of the GLA initiative to dress London for the Games.



Katharine Heron, Head of Architecture, University of Westminster, said: 

This project has given our students the fantastic chance to see their designs come to life and displayed proudly in the heart of London.  Those visiting London this summer will be able to interact with and admire the projects which combine adaptability and functionality with creativity; elements which are key components to modern day architecture.

We are thrilled that designs from our students were chosen to showcase the diversity of the architecture work from the University of Westminster.  The high standard of design on show here is testament to the hard work and tenacity of our students as well as the support and assistance that they receive from their tutors and fabricators.

London Dresser is a large scale cabinet displaying small scale buildings.  London’s architectural crown jewels are recreated as beautifully crafted seats. By day the cabinet opens and the seats are carefully arranged to create a skyline view and social gathering space. The cabinet becomes a belvedere that frames this view and captures it changing on film.  By night the buildings are placed inside the cabinet to create an interactive backdrop to the street, where they are momentarily illuminated when people pass by and peer in.

Group: Design Studio 17 Supporting Tutor: Gabby Shawcross, Studio of Cinematic Architecture Students:  Hugo Bass, James Kirk and Preet Panesar Fabricators: Millimetre Location : The Shell Centre at the South Bank, London

Streetscape Carousels, Five ‘Streetscape Carousels’ capture snapshots of London’s continually transforming skyline by creating a physical record of the city at its seminal moment of hosting 2012 Olympic Games. The panorama showcases a collage of London in an engaging, magical and captivating manner, elevating normal and everyday street scenes into moments of wonder. Each Carousel documents and depicts a selection of the key buildings and icons particular to each locale in the form of a collaged streetscape. Viewers are invited to turn the carousel, suggestive of an over-scale children’s wind-up toy, providing a stylized local skyline that gives a sense of the unique character and culture of each area, presenting the city’s diversity and cultural heritage through the eclecticism of its architecture.

The true magic of the carousels is revealed at night when a central light illuminates the silhouette from the inside, projecting the silhouetted streetscape in light and shadow back onto its surroundings.



Group: Studio PUP http://cargocollective.com/pup 
Students: Chloe Leen, Theo Molloy and Steve Wilkinson 
Fabricators: Kees van der Graaf and Balint Bolygo 
Locations : St Stephen’s Chapel: West Norwood Cemetery, Borough Market, Portobello Green, World’s End Plaza and Kentish Town Library 

Aurora, is a lightweight canopy spanning between trees within Victoria Park as part of the entrance to the live events programme.  Aurora is made up of about 1500 ready-made hula-hoops, strung together with a cable wire system.  It acts as a dynamic ‘cloud’ floating above and the public. ‘Aurora’ changes its character from day to night, when the canopy is lit from above and within to create glowing focal point and gathering place within the trees.

Group:  DS  16  Students:  Jamie Pearson, Lemma Redda,Fabricators: Grymsdyke FarmInstallers: Mtec   Lighting: Sound2light  Location: Victoria