Let’s Join: A Pavilion Inspired by the Weaire and Phelan Space Tessellation

The pavilion presented in this paper is an articulation of space based on the Weaire and Phelan tessellation. In this pavilion a second generative pattern is partially engraved and cut out of the polygonal surfaces that bind the polyhedron. This pattern is made up of cubic curves that aim to spatially engage with the tessellation. The design and prototyping process was implemented and controlled using parametric and procedural models. The use of these models made it possible to define the shape, orientation, and size of each element of the pavilion: from the polyhedron and the pattern’s curves, to smaller components like the shape of the panels’ joints, holes, and the countersinks that hold the screws. This research illustrates the geometric, formal, and procedural design that was used to shape the pavilion in its current spatial configuration, to draw the pattern cut and engraved into the polyhedron’s surface, and finally, to determine the shape and scale of the joints that hold the faces of the polyhedron together and characterize the internal space. Regarding the topic of Patterns and Spatial Organization, the paper investigates shape design methodologies, which are based on historical practices but updated using new technologies.