Situated on the outskirts of Roosevelt Island overlooking the East River, the Oca Reading Pavilion serves as an outdoor reading room for the Child’s School, an elementary school for children with special needs. The concept is grounded in the roots of the traditional Brazilian one-room, multi-use structure known as the Oca. Through the use of a natural material like bamboo, this adaptation of the Oca authentically pays homage to the material’s extensive history in South American, Asian, and African regions. From its roots in second century AD to modern day, bamboo is used to provide an efficient and sustainable methodology for the built environment. The use of bamboo in the Oca Reading Pavilion effectively contributes to a positive upcycle of material and authentic representation of nature-reliant indigenous cultures.

Aside from its integration of bamboo as a gesture towards nature, the Oca Pavilion welcomes interactivity through secondary materials with sensory qualities: the highly textured finish of the Corten, cedar, and bamboo components allow for an occupant-based experience for multi-senses. The form of the structure aims to enclose the occupant in a comforting, yet protected embrace of material. By embracing its occupants, the Oca successfully provides a neutral environment for students to thrive in. The tightly packed bamboo skins and aluminum lattice system within also create a wind break, for the site can be quite windy being so close to the water.