Umbral Pavillion

Statement

Natural phenomena shape our environments in both destructive and transformative ways. This project began with a video of a volcanic eruption, a force of overwhelming intensity. Initial investigations sought to distill the essence of this phenomenon through affective language, capturing its roiling, seething, and cataclysmic nature. However, a shift in perspective reinterpreted the smoke cloud from the volcano as a source of shelter and relief. This reinterpretation allowed the project to move from chaos to comfort, from imposition to invitation. The Umbral Pavilion emerged from this evolution as a fluid, ephemeral structure. Inspired by the movement of smoke clouds, the pavilion consists of a billowing fabric canopy suspended from three arched metal frames. This form flows with the wind, providing dynamic shade for beach goers. The final structure combines digital and material experimentation through the use of AI-generated imagery, computational design in Rhino, and physical modelling. The accompanying video, crafted using AI (Runway), Adobe Premiere, and a filmed physical model, captures the pavilion’s essence—an interplay of movement, shade, and protection.