What if a summer pavilion could leave a permanent mark on a city, and reflect the sustainable values of a culture?

Cradle To Cradle Pavilion is a designed-for-deconstruction pavilion located and modularly assembled in Højbro Plads, a large square surrounded with activity in Central Copenhagen, and associated with the iconic Absalon Statue. It is then reborn as four sculptural urban benches dispersed throughout the city.

By using William McDonough’s concepts in Cradle to Cradle on a seasonal pavilion, the first task was to ask: what is the pavilion’s afterlife? Copenhagen has a rich culture of using public squares year-round. We began designing the summer pavilion with the intent that we could leave a permanent impression on multiple public spaces throughout Copenhagen after the summer pavilion’s life.

The idea to deconstruct the pavilion into urban benches was made possible by the modular nature of the design. The dimension were based on human proportions for sitting, leaning, and viewing exhibits. Therefore, the transformation retained the usability and created a dialogue between the two forms

The pavilion serves as a gallery of local art exhibits. The light boxes display the art and act as a beacon to attract visitors to Højbro Plads. The Cradle to Cradle Pavilion aims to revitalize the public space with life and energy both day and night. The pavilion’s lifespan is short – but it’s reborn form of urban benches would leave a permanent impression and reminder of the importance of public urban space in Copenhagen. What was once a temporal experience in now embedded in memory and ignited by the experience of the bench.