This beachfront pavilion weaves together fashion, nature and design
A pop-up fashion pavilion designed by Studio Saxe was inspired by its natural surroundings.
As part of the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, Studio Saxe designed a temporary installation, creating a structure that is both a Mastercard VIP lounge and a comment on the awe-inspiring landscape of the area. Specialising in contemporary structures that react to the natural world, Studio Saxe is a Costa Rican architecture and design firm that hopes to maintain a connection for people and their surroundings.
They were inspired by local craft techniques to build the Mastercard VIP lounge, weaving it around its natural environment and taking advantage of the elements. As part of the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Guanacaste, the lounge needed to be stylish – and also needed to reflect the beautiful beach environment that surrounds it. The sea breeze flows through the permeable room through a series of ‘walls’ made up of ribbons of fabric string.
These strings create a ‘web’ of overlapping patterns, and have been carefully weaved around a series of existing palm trees to ensure that the natural environment was incorporated into the interior space – without directly impacting it. Moving in the breeze, these fabric strings offer a semblance of a structured wall but are ever changing, helping guests notice the movement of the air around them.
Additionally, the ‘webbing’ of the fabric strings means that, whilst the space feels enclosed, guests can still enjoy views of the beach and out to sea. The entire pavilion has been carefully designed to pay respects to the awe-inspiring setting, whilst still offering guests a sheltered spot to relax. Depending on the time of day, the ‘walls’ and fabric strings seem to disappear with the setting sun, creating an ever changing atmosphere within the lounge.
“We were inspired by the wind and the way it plays across your skin when you’re sitting on the beach,” Director of Studio Saxe, Benjamin Garcia Saxe, says of the design. “It had to be an inspiring form, but play a subservient form to an amazing beach and the ocean beyond”.
Studio Saxe’s pop-up installation, specifically designed as a Mastercard VIP lounge, is a welcome respite for guests. However, for the design world at large, it also demonstrates how modern methods of construction, and innovative design, can be harnessed to bring us closer to the natural world.
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