Between the Earth and Sky Mirrored Pavilion, Sussex Timber Structure, English Architecture Photos
Between the Earth and Sky Pavilion in Sussex
15 Sep 2021
Design: The Shack Collective
Location: Sussex, Southern England, UK
Between the Earth and Sky Mirrored Pavilion
Black women-led design collective completes self-build kaleidoscopic pavilion for independent UK music festival
The Shack Collective has completed a geometric tesselating mirrored pavilion, Between the Earth and Sky, for independent UK arts festival, Brainchild.
The Collective is currently running a fundraising campaign to cover the costs of the self-build project, opening a dialogue about the lack of arts funding for community projects, representation of, and compensation for young diverse designers in the architectural and arts professions.
The Shack Collective is a Black women-led group of designers working across arts, architecture and eco design totaling seven members; Seyi Adelekun, Shanice Abbey, Lauren Rechere, Fussilat Ibrahim, Rosie Murphy, Hannah Burrough, and Christopher Bradley. The group formed in March 2021 in response to Brainchild Festival’s open-call competition to design the festival’s DJ stage, which they won in May.
Rising 3.5 metres, Between the Earth and Sky is a demountable origami-like structure that consists of a lightweight timber space frame, made with three interconnected arches clad in tesselating angled acrylic mirrors.
The pavilion is rooted in the intimacy between people and the natural environment. The geometric shapes and reflected iridescent colours draw festival-goers in to gather and enjoy performances, while mirrors camouflage the structure by reflecting the surrounding forest. The Shack Collective was inspired by the inversion of a forest reflected in a body of water, and how these reflections create an infinite, liminal space between earth and sky.
The Collective was supported by Brainchild Festival to purchase materials for the construction of the pavilion, but the rising price of fabrication and building materials as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted the launch of a fundraising campaign to cover the significant labour time invested by the designers. Funding will also contribute to the legacy of Between the Earth and Sky, which will be reassembled at future community-led, music and arts events across the UK, including the 2022 Brainchild Festival.
Seyi Adelekun, Art Director of The Shack Collective says:
“There needs to be more done to help young designers from all backgrounds to get involved and be properly funded, because there is a huge wealth of talented people with limited funds to access the profession. Even getting any kind of building experience can be a struggle for young architects – there’s not enough opportunities like the Brainchild Festival around.”
Shanice Abbey, [artist, maker] and Shack Collective member says:
“We see experience in self-build projects as a vital career stepping stone. POC representation in the design sector is slow and often influenced by a community that is highly politicised. As a diverse collective, predominantly made up of Black women in architecture, we are committed to building a platform for ourselves in the creative industries.”
Lauren Rechere, [architectural assistant] and Shack Collective member says:
“Support at this stage of our development will not only elevate our skills, industry experiences and collective profile but catalyze future commissioning opportunities for us and our peers. Crucially, we aim for our collective profile and public design to inspire underrepresented individuals in the creative industry to push for their ideas to be made a reality.”
Marina Blake, Creative Director, Brainchild Festival:
“We’ve been deeply impressed and inspired by the vision and ambition of the team for the Shack stage this year. The vistas it created truly delivered on the vision to combine the natural forest surroundings with the artists playing.
“Several times I caught it at an angle that took my breath away; many artists told me that it was the most perfect setting for their first performance after lockdown.
“The team should be congratulated for creating such a bold and elegant place for us to come together with nature, music and each other after so long.”
What was the brief?
The Brainchild music festival staged a 2-part open competition to provide a DJ stage for a clearing in the woods, and embrace sustainable principles of re-use and recycling whilst doing so.
After being shortlisted, the Shack Collective amended their design, based on the folded Yoshimura pattern of Origami, in order to stick to the very small construction budget.
Brainchild Festival Sussex Pavilion – Building Information
Designers: The Shack Collective
Architects: cm+b works
Location: Brainchild Festival, Sussex, UK and various
Project size: 3.5 metres high 5 x 5 metres wide
Completion: August 2021
Client: Brainchild Festival
Structural engineer: ABP Ltd
Project size: 20 sqm
Site size: 300 sqm
Completion date: 2021
Building levels: 1
The Shack Collective
The Shack Collective is a Black women-led collective of designers working across arts, architecture and eco design. After a year of being disconnected from communities, the collective was formed from the need and drive to create sustainable spaces that celebrate people coming together.
The Shack Collective is inspired to build ambitious sustainable installations for outdoor community use and music performances that aim to bridge the gap between interaction and the social constraints currently facing many people.
The group includes Seyi Adelekun, Shanice Abbey, Lauren Rechere, Fussilat Ibrahim, Rosie Murphy, Hannah Burrough, and Christopher Bradley.
Fundraising campaign: Between the Earth and Sky by Shack Collective Instagram: @shack_collective
Brainchild Festival
We are a not-for-profit arts organisation best known for our award-winning festival. Our mission is to celebrate and develop emerging artists and young people by giving them the space, confidence and network to creatively engage with what matters to them. We’ve been running Brainchild since we were 19, when we got together to create a project big enough for everyone we knew to bring their ‘thing’, collaborate and raise each other up.
Instagram: @brainchildfest
Photographer_a: Karla Lizethe Hunter @framesfromhunter www.karlalizethehunter.com
Photographer_b: Christopher Bradley @cmtbworks www.cmtbworks.com
Between the Earth and Sky Pavilion, Sussex images / information received 150921 from The Shack Collective
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Comments / photos for the Between the Earth and Sky Pavilion, Sussex – England Architecture by The Shack Collective page welcome
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