In Praise of Shadows (IPOS) may be named after the refective essay on the elusive subject of aesthetics by Japanese author Junichiro Tanizaki, but don’t let that fool you. In its work, this architecture practice adopts a distinctly hands-on and pragmatic approach and has a deep understanding of physical materiality. In fact, the Swedish studio’s founders, Fredric Benesch and Katarina Lundeberg, love to combine the conceptual and the physical. ‘We always work to get concept, structure, space and materiality to work together as one entity, one architectural whole,’ they say.

For Handmade, the practice – which featured in W*172 as part of our 2013 Architects Directory – was invited to create an indoor architectural folly that would double as a seating area and meeting place for the duration of the exhibition. The pair leapt at the chance and, in the typical Handmade spirit of collaboration, were partnered with Dinesen for the structure’s material and Werkraum Bregenzerwald, the leafy Austrian region’s top crafts and trade association, for the fabrication.

The architects traditionally mix elegant residential work with cultural projects, such as their contribution to the 2012 Venice Architecture Biennale, but a temporary pavilion like this was a frst for the young frm. Inspired by the Scandinavian tradition of building with wood and the qualities and production process of Dinesen timber, IPOS aimed to create a tactile and personal experience.

‘We are very interested in working with wood; it is a quality material with many diferent possible uses. We are intrigued by

because of all these characteristics and we wanted to give this young business a chance to gain experience,’ says Breuss.

The structure was designed as a three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle, fatpacked, with its diferent parts easily ‘clicking’ into place during assembly – were it not for the solid timber’s signifcant weight, it could have been constructed by just two people without the need for tools.

‘One challenge was to plan the structure for transportation and easy assembly, but that was a parameter from the start, so the pavilion is designed as a large-scale wooden puzzle where the pieces are ftted into each other without any screws or metal connections,’ say the architects. ‘The handling of the large beams during assembly and transportation became the bigest challenge, since they weigh 450 kilos each.’

The fruit of a productive relationship between all three parties, the pavilion plays with light and shadow, transparency and opaqueness. And its life goes beyond the fnal build. The architects admit that working on the pavilion fed inspiration to other projects, such as a kayak house and a cultural centre in the outer Stockholm archipelago, as well as an Aesop store in central Stockholm, opening this summer. ‘And, of course,’ they add, ‘to make the acquaintance [of Dinesen, Oliver Beer and Werkraum] was a great side efect of the project.’ ∂www.inpraiseofshadows.se; werkraum.atAs part of the 2014 Venice Architecture Biennale’s ofcial collateral events, ‘Passage of Wood’ will be on display at the Time Space Existence exhibition at Palazzo Bembo, showing until 23 November, www.globalartafairs.org

the potential of wood to be at the same time both structural and tactile, massive and with a fne surface. It is locally resourced and a renewable and sustainable material. It also has the quality of ageing beautifully.’

Dinesen specialises in unusually long and wide solid planks and this was an element IPOS wanted to accentuate. The pavilion, named ‘Passage of Wood’, is made out of lean timber planks that form the structure’s frame, and two long, thick, solid beams running through it, providing the seating.

‘We studied many alternatives, but with the current design, it all came together quite fast. The basic quality is that of the transparent and light frame structure that carries the heavy wooden beams, thus making them hover above ground. To further enhance the experience of lightness and transparency, the frame becomes lower and narrower towards the middle.’

The timber species used are Dinesen’s HeartOak (for the foor), and Douglas fr (for the frame and beams). These were treated and developed using the skills of Reuthe-based carpenter Oliver Beer, a Werkraum member recommended by the association’s director Renate Breuss. The Austrian organisation, housed in a Peter Zumthor-designed ofce and exhibition space, counts 80 makers, builders and artisans in its membership register – from brick-workers, upholsterers and painters to cabinet-makers, metal workers, cobblers, carpenters and foor-layers – and strives to promote their work through various events, competitions and exhibitions.

‘Oliver is a young, curious, open-minded Werkraum member. We recommended him

OppOsite, the frame,

seen in prOgress at

carpenter Oliver Beer’s

wOrkshOp in reuthe,

austria, is made frOm

timBer planks that are

clicked intO place

withOut screws

left, architects

fredric Benesch and

katarina lundeBerg

in their finished

paviliOn, see page 173

Folly wood‘passage of wood’ folly, by in praise of shadows,

dinesen, and Oliver Beer of werkraum Bregenzerwald

∑080

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

because of all these characteristics and we wanted to give this young business a chance to gain experience,’ says Breuss.

The structure was designed as a three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle, fatpacked, with its diferent parts easily ‘clicking’ into place during assembly – were it not for the solid timber’s signifcant weight, it could have been constructed by just two people without the need for tools.

‘One challenge was to plan the structure for transportation and easy assembly, but that was a parameter from the start, so the pavilion is designed as a large-scale wooden puzzle where the pieces are ftted into each other without any screws or metal connections,’ say the architects. ‘The handling of the large beams during assembly and transportation became the bigest challenge, since they weigh 450 kilos each.’

The fruit of a productive relationship between all three parties, the pavilion plays with light and shadow, transparency and opaqueness. And its life goes beyond the fnal build. The architects admit that working on the pavilion fed inspiration to other projects, such as a kayak house and a cultural centre in the outer Stockholm archipelago, as well as an Aesop store in central Stockholm, opening this summer. ‘And, of course,’ they add, ‘to make the acquaintance [of Dinesen, Oliver Beer and Werkraum] was a great side efect of the project.’ ∂www.inpraiseofshadows.se; werkraum.atAs part of the 2014 Venice Architecture Biennale’s ofcial collateral events, ‘Passage of Wood’ will be on display at the Time Space Existence exhibition at Palazzo Bembo, showing until 23 November, www.globalartafairs.org

the potential of wood to be at the same time both structural and tactile, massive and with a fne surface. It is locally resourced and a renewable and sustainable material. It also has the quality of ageing beautifully.’

Dinesen specialises in unusually long and wide solid planks and this was an element IPOS wanted to accentuate. The pavilion, named ‘Passage of Wood’, is made out of lean timber planks that form the structure’s frame, and two long, thick, solid beams running through it, providing the seating.

‘We studied many alternatives, but with the current design, it all came together quite fast. The basic quality is that of the transparent and light frame structure that carries the heavy wooden beams, thus making them hover above ground. To further enhance the experience of lightness and transparency, the frame becomes lower and narrower towards the middle.’

The timber species used are Dinesen’s HeartOak (for the foor), and Douglas fr (for the frame and beams). These were treated and developed using the skills of Reuthe-based carpenter Oliver Beer, a Werkraum member recommended by the association’s director Renate Breuss. The Austrian organisation, housed in a Peter Zumthor-designed ofce and exhibition space, counts 80 makers, builders and artisans in its membership register – from brick-workers, upholsterers and painters to cabinet-makers, metal workers, cobblers, carpenters and foor-layers – and strives to promote their work through various events, competitions and exhibitions.

‘Oliver is a young, curious, open-minded Werkraum member. We recommended him

OppOsite, the frame,

seen in prOgress at

carpenter Oliver Beer’s

wOrkshOp in reuthe,

austria, is made frOm

timBer planks that are

clicked intO place

withOut screws

left, architects

fredric Benesch and

katarina lundeBerg

in their finished

paviliOn, see page 173

PhotograPhy: olga cafiero Writer: ellie stathaki

Folly wood‘passage of wood’ folly, by in praise of shadows,

dinesen, and Oliver Beer of werkraum Bregenzerwald

Making Of...

93WPR14AUG133.pgs 23.06.2014 17:43