0-VOID

0-VOID is an inflatable pavilion that synthesises and embodies the explored potential of pneumatic systems for creating geometrical, material and non-conventional spatial formulations; a design research agenda developed throughout the academic semester at the third-year architectural design studio of UDD’s Architecture School, in Santiago, Chile.

The pavilion was designed through an iterative process informed by both, 1:1 material exploration and digital tools. A primitive ovoidal geometry of L=18m. W= 12m. H= 5m. was primarily defined; the overall envelope was then laid out and striated with a diagonalized pattern, allowing for maintaining the formal and geometric integrity of the ovoid while constraining the deformation generated by the internal air pressure. It was entirely made out of lightweight pvc membranes of two kinds: a thin/transparent membrane for the overall envelope and a slightly rougher/opaque one for the floor. Its patchwork-like manufacturing process was completely manually done; from the unfolding, marking and cutting of each of the pieces produced by the digital model, which were then fixed between them with adhesive and heat applied to each seam.

In that sense, 0-VOID is more a garment than a building; a soft and flexible piece that it has not been built, but rather tailored. Easy to be folded and unfolded. It is an inhabitable vessel that can be reused and deployed in different contexts. An object that proves to be a quick and simple way for creating space to host multiple programmatic purposes, since it is essentially air and skin. It is a sort of invertebrate pavilion that questions the notion of structural resistance associated with rigidity and stiffness, seeking new ideas of temporality, flexibility and material dependency in architecture.

0-VOID es un pabellón inflable que sintetiza y encarna las temáticas exploradas a lo largo del semestre en el taller de diseño arquitectónico III en torno al potencial presente en los sistemas neumáticos para la formulación de respuestas geométricas, materiales y espaciales no convencionales.

Se trata de una nave ovoidal, que recoge una proporción de 18 m. de largo, 12 m. de ancho y 5 m. de altura máxima, construida a partir de una envolvente ligera de membrana de pvc transparente y una base de pvc de alto gramaje opaco. La envolvente se diseñó a partir de un proceso iterativo entre exploración material 1:1 y diseño digital desde donde se plantea una superficie estriada con un patronaje diagonalizado que permite mantener la integridad formal y geométrica del ovoide a la vez que controla la deformación generada por la presión de aire interior. Su fabricación tipo patchwork se realizó manualmente a partir del extendido, marcado y corte de cada una de las piezas que arrojó el modelo digital, y que luego fueron fijadas entre ellas con adhesivo y calor aplicado en cada costura.

En este sentido, se podría decir que 0-VOID es más prenda que edificio; que no ha sido construido, si no más bien confeccionado; un objeto blando y flexible, capaz de ser reutilizado en distintos contextos; de montarse y desmontarse rápidamente, plegarse y desplegarse, de inflarse y desinflarse, ya que es esencialmente aire y piel. Una especie de pabellón invertebrado, que cuestiona la noción de resistencia asociada a la rigidez, y que explora sobre nuevas nociones de temporalidad e itinerancia asociada a la arquitectura.

0-VOID is an inflatable pavilion developed in the framework of an undergraduate Architectural Design Studio dictated by BASE studio at Universidad del Desarrollo’s Architecture School, in Santiago, Chile.

Teaching Staff: BASE studio

Felipe Sepúlveda + Bárbara Barreda + Matías Ramírez

Students:

Benjamín Abusleme + María Jesús Adriasola + Manuel Alonso + María Jesús Cortez + Rodrigo Del Campo + Catalina Ellena + María Jesús Gómez + Constanza Gomez + Ilanit Gottlieb + María José Jara + Antonio Labbé + Isidora Leiva + Santiago Ortúzar + Ignacio Salinas + Antonia Santillán + Agustín Squella + Bárbara Torres + Sarah Ull-Mendez + Alex Vargas + Ana Vasconez + Fernando Verdugo + Kimberly Vielma