Temporactive pavilion: second design-to-construction loop of an ultra-lightweight temporary architecture

The paper presents the design to construction process of an ultra-lightweight hybrid temporary structure consisting of a combination of bending-active glass fiber-reinforced polymers arches, a restraining system made of stainless steel cables, and a translucent membrane envelope. After a brief introduction to the basic design concepts and versatility of the modular system to create different shapes, the paper focuses on the fast-track erection procedure that enables to build the pavilion in a very short time. A multi-disciplinary team had collaborated at the design development of the temporary pavilion, built with the aim of deepening a wide range of aspects that are peculiar to temporary architecture. The aim of the second design-to-construction loop, following the first loop which resulted in the construction of the first full-scale prototype, is two-fold: firstly to optimize the innovative mix of lightweight structural components with the aim of reducing the total weight of the building (and thus facilitate transport and installation), and secondly to test the technical details designed to favor reversibility and to ensure the re-usability of the structure for multiple cycles of use. The paper concludes by showing the results achieved and the lesson learned from the first construction of the temporary pavilion in occasion of a one-week event and anticipating the further studies regarding the interface between structure and membrane envelope, also in relation to the building expected life-span and requirements