THE PAUSE PAVILION

Our response to the challenging architectural installation competition near one of the most important historic gardens “Afif Abad Garden” in Shiraz, Iran was PAUSE. PAUSE is the childish adventure feeling and inspiration that we have not experienced since so many years ago. PAUSE tries to revive the feelings that we have been ignored. Feeling of brick texture tactile; hearing the sound of our steps on the metal sheets, looking at the sky which we pass under of it every single day without any attention to it, not even trying to pause and enjoy watching it. Listening to the “water features located at the site”. PAUSE from the exterior is a cube that holds a suspended brick volume and this is adequate enough to incite the adventure and curiosity senses.

By passing the brick wall entrance, we reach a dark closed space which can’t hear anything except the sound of metal sheets under our steps and continue our journey by only touching the brick textures. This concludes inciting and emphasizing our auditory and tactile senses which leads to follow our only possible guide that is the brick texture to move forward while our eyes are constantly searching to find a light beam or an opening. The mirrors and the light reflections gradually inform us about an occurrence that is about to happen. A little light beam is reveled and suddenly a stunning source of light from above lighten the space. We find ourselves under the sky which is framed and surrounded with mirrors and define the border between us and the environment.

To choose the construction site from the existing options, the effort was on finding a space near the trees and the water feature. This causes not only benefiting the shadow and reflecting of the tree leaves in the pavilion but also having the benefit of listening to the water feature sound.

As to respect the maximum allowed space which is 4m X 4m X 4m, the effort was on implementing our concept in the exact defined space. Therefore we came to conclusion to being with a 4m X 4m X 4m metal cube. Creating a movement knot in circulation of the space led us to being and initiate a circular volume designated in a cubic volume. By extruding the circle to create cylinder and from cylinder to cone to create difference volume radiuses in order to achieve the spatial diversity between the floor and ceiling and as a result draw attention of people to above.

In order to incite people’s curiosity sense, we covered all around the interior cone inside the cube structure with metal sheets. Afterwards the entrance/exit space was defined by changing the material and creating a brick wall that invite the visitors. To prevent crime and increase the safety, 80 cm at the bottom part of the cone is omitted to supervise the people movement which led us to suspend the cone and that ended up as an interesting challenge of structure for us.

All of the bricks that are used in the pavilion are cut in half and installed with the designed straps. The material that are used in the interior part of the cone are the cut out bricks and mirrors. The mirrors’ density increases as you move your eyes toward the upper part of cone. Finally, to prevent the direct sun light and control the light the ceiling is covered by metal sheets. A hole has been cut out from the ceiling in order to push everyone focus to the above space.

A delicate lighting is also implemented for the visitor to enjoy the light festival at night.