ARchitecture
Colorful aluminium
New York design studio The Very Many, led by Marc Fornes, has designed a blue-and-yellow covering outside a leisure and sports center in El Paso, Texas.
8 Novermber, 2018
The canopy, called Marquise, comprises hundreds of lightweight aluminium shingles. Diamond-shaped panels are connected to leave small gaps in between. This creates an incredible weightless impression. The pavilion is both practical and looks bright and beautiful.
The Marquise frames the entrance of the Westside Natatorium by In Situ Architecture, which is an indoor swimming pool in El Paso.
The canopy is designed to primarily shield the gate from both sun and rain. To become more ponderable and sustainable it is anchored by a pair of concrete bases that can also be used as seats.
The canopy is designed to primarily shield the gate from both sun and rain. To become more ponderable and sustainable it is anchored by a pair of concrete bases that can also be used as seats.
Image: Dezeen
The aluminium panels themselves are arranged to form a curved self-supported structure, with a striped pattern on the underside and a chequerboard effect on top. Color choice of the structure attracts attention of every passersby.
The design comprises 240 panels in shades of blue – "from a bright midday sky to a deep, clear dusk" – and 280 yellow pieces that also vary in tone. Hints of orange and pink can be noticed in the deep crevices, which creates an additional 3D effect using a wide color palette inspired by the Texan environment. A two-way Cheshire gradient in deep blues and warm yellows alternate graphically to emphasize the sweeping surfaces.
The design comprises 240 panels in shades of blue – "from a bright midday sky to a deep, clear dusk" – and 280 yellow pieces that also vary in tone. Hints of orange and pink can be noticed in the deep crevices, which creates an additional 3D effect using a wide color palette inspired by the Texan environment. A two-way Cheshire gradient in deep blues and warm yellows alternate graphically to emphasize the sweeping surfaces.
Image: Dezeen
"Playing off the fluctuations between warm and cool in the desert setting, the coloration saturates the palette of the surrounding landscape," said a statement from The Very Many.
"A marquise is historically classified as a curvilinear steel and glass awning, attached to buildings or freestanding," said the studio.
"Seemingly inflated by the wind, as a tent or sail, the ultra-thin surface billows up from the ground, where it forms two contiguous seats: cast in place concrete elements that inherit the compound curvature of the faceted but flowing surface."
"A marquise is historically classified as a curvilinear steel and glass awning, attached to buildings or freestanding," said the studio.
"Seemingly inflated by the wind, as a tent or sail, the ultra-thin surface billows up from the ground, where it forms two contiguous seats: cast in place concrete elements that inherit the compound curvature of the faceted but flowing surface."
Image: Dezeen
The marquise finds the way to the hearts of visitors – each person can find an application for this oddish construction: young guests who come for a swimming class after school enjoy the look of it that cheers them up - the surface overhead appears to be some kind of circus tent, or a parachute frozen in midair. Their parents or other visitors of the sports complex find the concrete seats under the canopy welcoming as it is always great to get some shade in a hot sunny day.
Fornes is renown for designing pavilions with similar shingles. In 2015, he created an outdoor installation for a French school with similar aluminium plates and colored green and blue.
This is his second installation in Texas – the first was a spine-like, arched pavilion in San Antonio with a bright green colorway.
Fornes is renown for designing pavilions with similar shingles. In 2015, he created an outdoor installation for a French school with similar aluminium plates and colored green and blue.
This is his second installation in Texas – the first was a spine-like, arched pavilion in San Antonio with a bright green colorway.
Banner image: Dezeen