The Natural Pavilion
Circular, bio-based, remountable, inspiration-pavilion
The Natural Pavilion is an almost 100% biobased, circular, and fully demountable inspiration-pavilion that can be rebuilt in a different configuration at a different location.
The Dutch National Government’s Pavilion was designed and built within a year for the Floriade Expo 2022, and focuses on the spatial challenges currently facing the Netherlands: the energy and raw materials transition, solving the housing shortage, making agriculture more sustainable, restoring biodiversity, and adaptating to climate change. The Natural Pavilion serves as a showcase for innovative bio-based construction and contributes to the increased application and scaling-up of bio-based solutions.
Simple but ingenious building concept
The building concept is simple but ingenious and consists of two main elements:
- An elegant framework of wooden beams sourced from indigenous wood as a structurally evident shell, the modules of which are connected by a universal steel connecting element.
- A flexible filling-in of the framework with bio-based and re-used materials such as wooden floors, bio-based walls and windows of re-used glass, with which any space can be created, and which can fulfil specific conditions, such as acoustic or fire-safety requirements. Remountable Because of the dry connections, the pavilion can be completely dismantled and rebuilt in a different configuration. After the Floriade Expo 2022 it will serve as exhibition space and film theatre in various Dutch nature reserves. After 2025, it will become part of the FlevoCampus sustainable food project. Minimal technical installations The compact pavilion has been optimised to ensure pleasant conditions with a minimum of technical installations. The wooden louvres are parametrically designed for an optimal balance between sunlight and temperature, resulting in unique façades on each side. The self-adjusting glass louvres on the façades, together with the roof windows, allow for natural thermal ventilation and cooling. The wooden sawtooth roofs supply a soft northern light down into the atrium, minimising the amount of artificial lighting required.
