Qua Pavilion

The permanence of stone and the ephemerality of human existence have been intertwined throughout history through rituals, mythology, art, literature, architecture, and all aspects of human life. Inspired by the ancient Caryatids, the Pavilion reconsiders the relationship between stone and humans in light of contemporary interpretations of the material.

The Pavilion was constructed by repurposing defective material occurring in the manufacturing process of the Qua Granite factory. Approximately 2.800 ceramic tiles were stacked on top of each other, forming three load-bearing, sculptural columns, each weighing around 15 tons. The painterly structures are covered by a delicate, lightweight aluminum canopy that defines the architectural space. The design challenges the fundamental properties and traditional practices of building materials. Reminiscent of caryatids, which integrate the human figure into the composition of buildings, these masses shoulder the architectural burden of the pavilion with their abstract forms.