Ecole Spéciale - Pavillon Spéciale - Ball Nogues
Paris, France

An initial selection saw 50 practices among emerging and experimental architects being nominated by an international expert committee in the field of architecture made up of architects, curators, academics and magazine editors. An International Jury composed of Iñaki Ábalos (Ábalos+Sentkiewicz Arquitectos, Spain), Jean-Max Collard (Architectural Journalist, Les Inrocks, France), Massimiliano Fuksas (Studio Fuksas, Italy), David Keuning (MARK magazine, Netherlands) and Claude Parent (Architect, teacher and writer, France) together with a student from the school, produced a shortlist of eight practices who were then asked to draw up a project.

The nominated architects were:

DUS Architects, Amsterdam (NL),
Fantastic Norway, from Oslo (NO),
MOS, from New York (USA),
OSMD, from Lisbon (PT),
Polaris Architects, from Luxembourg (LU),
Softlab, from New York (USA), and
Sou Fujimoto Architects, from Tokyo (JP)
Ball Nogues Studio, Los Angeles (USA)

WINNER: Ball Nogues Studio
Project: Ball Nogues Studio, Los Angeles, USA
Studio Assistant: Baptiste Bonijoly

Ecole Spéciale Students: Antoniotti Bruno, Bellanger Alexandra, Bennis Selim, Boinot Julien, Bruel Laura, Budin Olivier, Cargill Maxime, Claudet Ariel De Lacvivier Matthieu, Delalande Nicolas, Dubois Nina, Ducroux Hubert, Fishler Raphael, Fournier Adrien, Haudrechy Felix, Hudson Leo, Lambert Pierre, Liagre Victoire, Maleyrat Jean, Merle Daubigne Ariane, Mougel Raphael, Noury Pola, Pradeau Pauline, Seguin Pauline, Veryra Camille, Wertheimer Astrid.

From the architect:
The Pavilion is a unique structure, in architecture terminology; the phrase that describes a system whose form is derived from the deformation of its materials under force is “form active.” This type of structure is difficult to study using software. It often requires architects to explore their designs by testing full-scale mock-ups, and using that empirical information to help inform the process of digital modelling, which is studied in the studio rather than in the field.

The structure is comprised of approximately 200 “cells”, each made from locally sourced plastic tubing that will be bent and curled in custom jigs designed and constructed by students. To provide shade, each cell will have a locally sourced sheet material spanning between the tubes within it. The cell module is a very effective way of constructing a temporary structure: each can be transported as a flat unit and rapidly assembled on site; when it is time for the structure to come down, dismantling and transportation to a new site is easy.

Links :

- Archdaily
- Designboom
- Bustler
- E-Architects
- Archinet
- Inhabitat
- Aeccafe

Pavillion Speciale Results 2012