The temporary People's Pavilion, a centrepiece of the 2017 Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven, was a bold experiment in sustainability and material reuse that has forced the property industry to re-imagine a circular economy-inspired future.  

Working closely with architects Bureau SLA and Overtreders W, we provided structural design for this project, which used 100% borrowed materials.

Each element of the design was borrowed from other local projects. The seven-metre-tall columns were made of prefab concrete foundation piles, with steel rods from a demolished office building reused as cross bracing. Meanwhile, the glass roof was borrowed from a greenhouse supplier, and the glass for the lower façade was saved from a demolished office building.  

More than 9,000 colourful interlocking plastic tiles served as shingles at the top of the building, recycled from PET bottles donated by Eindhoven residents. By sorting the plastic waste by colour, a range of different tiles were produced, from shades of pink and blue, to a vibrant yellow. All borrowed materials from the People’s Pavilion were returned afterwards to be used yet again.

Circular economy

The seven-metre-tall columns were made of prefab concrete foundation piles, with steel rods from a demolished office building reused as cross bracing.  

The composite timber beams, concrete columns and cross bracing were tied together using high-capacity ratchet straps to create a safe and sufficiently reliable structure to withstand strong wind conditions. This unconventional system required our calculations to be validated, which was carried out through executing several experiments in cooperation with the Technical University Eindhoven. 

The glass roof was borrowed from a greenhouse supplier, while the glass lower façade was saved from a demolished office building. The lighting, heating, bar and other interior elements of the People's Pavilion are also borrowed.

Over 9,000 vibrantly coloured interlocking plastic tiles served as striking shingles around the top of the building, recycled from PET bottles donated by local Eindhoven residents. This use of recycled plastic underlines the market potential of circular construction as a sustainable alternative. As another exercise in circularity, all borrowed materials used in the construction of the People’s Pavilion were returned once it had been dismantled and many items were reused in further construction projects. 

 

People's Pavilion at Dutch Design Week
Arup delivered the structural design for the main temporary building for the World Design Event at the Dutch Design Week 2017.
Interior of the structure of the People Pavilion for Dutch Design Week 2017
The beam elements were strapped together by metal tie-down straps. Tension belts and cable ties created trusses in between the concrete columns to secure a safe and stable structure.
Demounted People's Pavilion, ready for new use. ©Bureau SLA
As an exercise in circularity, all borrowed materials used in the construction of the People’s Pavilion were returned once it had been dismantled. Many items were reused in further construction projects.