Cardboard king Shigeru Ban—he of the shockingly sturdy emergency shelters, and cathedrals—recently unveiled a temporary and mobile pavilion at the Abu Dhabi Arts Fair, made entirely from, yep, cardboard tubes. Dubbed the Design Souq, the pavilion is meant to reference Abu Dhabi's cultural and design aesthetic, as well as serve as a sort of "marketplace of ideas" where those participating in the arts fair—local craftspeople, artists, and visitors—can give demonstrations or, at the very least, enjoy a bit of shade. The structure itself is made of stacked, lacquered tubes in various sizes forming two partial walls, with much of the rest of the pavilion left open—making space for artist displays and a scattering of round benches. Thanks to the rather porous nature of the cylinders, at night the structure glows from within, creating an almost beehive-like effect. Design Boom has the full gallery, including shots of the Design Souq at various stages of construction.
· Shigeru Ban shapes Abu Dhabi art pavilion from cardboard tubes [Design Boom]
· All Shigeru Ban posts [Curbed National]