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The PortHole by TOMA!

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The PortHole by TOMA!
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The PortHole by TOMA!

The PortHole, is an ephemeral anamorphic pavilion that TOMA! made for the Festival des Architectures Vives in 2015.

 The pavilion is an experimental architecture, designed by Antonio Nardozzi & María Dolores del Sol Ontalba [TOMA!] for the tenth edition of the FAV at La Grande-Motte, decerned with the Jury and the Public awards.

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The experimental factor of this pavilion is the way the perspective localized technique is performed: the whole habitable sculpture becomes a flat sign, a virtual porthole on the seafront of La Grande-Motte.

Continually evolving, the installation changes its own features with respect to the points of view up to flatten, creating, thanks to its anamorphic nature, a perfect circle.

The PortHole by TOMA!

The anamorphic pattern has been designed by creating ad hoc optical and mathematical processes which, starting from a cube, enable to recreate of the pure geometry of the circle – A circling the square exercise!

The contours of the panels composing the installation reinterpret the city panorama by recycling the organic shapes of the buildings of the architect Jean Balladur and the boats surrounding the quay.

Its fluctuant shapes, modeled and sculpted as if carved by wind erosion, allow to stroll through, shelter under, or sit on. A comfortable urban element that invites to discover unexpected optical illusions at the rhythm the spectator tread around.

The PortHole by TOMA!

The volume of the pavilion, inscribed in a cube whose side is 3 meters occupying a footprint of 9 m2, is made of 120 MDF boards. Since cutting boards the edges loose the protective film, paint is applied to protect the weakened surface. The pink colour is an homage to the FAV.

The PortHole by TOMA!

Metallic structure support, join and separate the wood panels. The MDF boards have holes that let insert the vertical structure and screws are screwed into each other to create a single structure: stable and supportive.

The screws and the boards work together transmitting loads from one to another so the pavilion becomes a single object resting on the floor of the port.

The PortHole by TOMA!

Moreover, the particular conformation of the pavilion follows the passage of the wind and does not generate vertical surfaces of contrast.

The PortHole therefore provides an experience completely devoted to the pleasure given by contemplating the landscape while enjoying the coastal breeze and lulled by the waves, the pavilion waves.

A place that suggests to slow, interact and confer yourself a moment of reflection bound to last a long time, beyond the ephemeral.

The PortHole by TOMA!
The PortHole by TOMA!
The PortHole by TOMA!
The PortHole by TOMA!
The PortHole by TOMA!

Architects : TOMA!

Location : La Grande-MotteFrance

Architects in Charge : Antonio Nardozzi, María Dolores del Sol Ontalba [TOMA! – team of manufacturers architects]

Area : 9.0 sqm

Project Year : 2015

Photographs : Tiziano ZannordoPhotoarchitecture

ArboSkin Pavilion made by ITKE in Stuttgart – Parametric Architecture

Made from a bioplastic containing Over 90 percent renewable materials, the spiky modules used to build this curving pavilion in Stuttgart , Germany . Students and professors from Stuttgart University ‘s ITKE (Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design) designed the freeform facade to demonstrate the structural properties of a new bioplastic developed specially for use in the construction industry.

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Via > Archdaily

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