Edmonton Pavilions
CLIENT
City of Edmonton
YEAR
2011
STATUS
Conceptual
LOCATION
Edmonton, Ab, Canada
The City of Edmonton held a competition to design pavilions for five different city parks. Sturgess Architecture submitted two entries, for Victoria Park and for John Fry Park.
Victoria Park
Sturgess Architecture’s submission not only answered the brief put forth by the City, but also endeavored to strengthen the relationship between the park and its users. Our goal was to create a pavilion that responded to the lyrical nature of being within Victoria Park. The pavilion structure extends to the site boundary, retreating only from the south edge in deference to the skating oval, to create a large sheltered ground plane. As different user groups arrive from varying directions within the park, all are welcomed onto this communal shared porch. Spatial differentiation of the ground plane is further reinforced through the deformations of the roof form. The plasticity of the structure reinforces points of entry, shelter, and rest, while simultaneously functioning as structural support.
Through careful consideration of the ground plane, environmental enclosure, and roof form the pavilion adjusts itself to the existing site conditions, amplifying their innate beauties. The simple structure serves to bring together different user groups while creating an iconic marker of place.
John Fry Park
Resting between nondescript industrial buildings, crisscrossed by high voltage wires, nestled in unruly grass fields John Fry Park has a sublime and atmospheric nature. By placing the building’s mass at the north and east perimeter, strong but permeable edges face the vast openness of John Fry park, while enclosing what is currently the baseball diamond. By depressing the plaza contained within the site, an informal amphitheatre is created. Viewed from north and east, the pavilion’s form and colour present in the patina of the weathering steel cladding, allow it to establish a polite yet solid presence in the landscape, one that is enriched over time. Viewed from the south and west, the pavilion opens up this new outdoor room.
