TAKING STOCK

2021 Winter Stations Competition

Taking Stock challenges the notion of a pavilion and envisions it as a collection of existing and reusable materials: an urban mine.

Over the course of the pandemic, lumber futures rose 300% in less than a year, which produced a chain reaction in terms of material price hikes, material shortages, and extended lead times which still exist today due to global supply chain shortages. These issues are a wakeup call to our industry stating that we cannot go on with business as usual.

Taking Stock looks to lumberyards as temporary storage deports for inspiration and uses similar processes of storage by bundling materials and fastening them with PET cable ties, which are 100% UV resistant and recyclable. No nails, screws, glues, or adhesives are used in order to preserve the quality of the dimensional lumber. After each bundle is assembled, QR codes are applied in order to allow visitors to engage with the pavilion beyond its visual aesthetics.

Each unique QR code redirects users to a live website that tracks the bundle’s value based on lumber price fluctuation. Individuals can come back daily, weekly, or monthly to check on the value of particular bundles or the entire installation. Depending on the market price, the installation might actually be more valuable at the end of its life cycle as a pavilion.