Temporary Architecture Research Articles

Transient Transformations: Memory and Identity Lessons from Kumbh Mela

The Kumbh Mela, held every twelve years at the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers in Prayagraj, India, is the largest religious gathering and ephemeral city in the world. This article explores the physical and social dimensions of the festival, drawing parallels with other temporary architectures and paying particular attention to the role of memory. The physical structure of the city, organized into a flexible grid, accommodates millions of pilgrims while preserving spaces for the community and its collective identity. The material memory of the site, layered with historical and spiritual significance, intersects with the intangible memory carried by pilgrims through traditions and cultural practices. This blend of tangible and intangible elements fosters a sense of continuity, even in a temporary setting. By examining the Kumbh Mela, the study highlights the importance of memory in creating cohesive, resilient communities within transient urban landscapes, and offers valuable lessons for the design and planning of other temporary settlements.

Ballistic performance of flexible structures composed of UHMWPE fibers and airbag: Effects of the stacking order

A series of flexible structures incorporating an airbag and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber panels were designed as temporary architectures to offer both ballistic protective functions and lightweight constructions. Three primary structural configurations, monolithic structures (airbag or UHMWPE panel alone), bi-layer structures (airbag/ UHMWPE panel and UHMWPE panel/airbag), and sandwich structures (UHMWPE panel/airbag/ UHMWPE panel) were tested. A T12A carbon tool steel sphere with the diameter of 12.7 mm was utilized as the ballistic threat within an impact velocity range of 0–500 m/s. Investigations into the effect of stacking order on ballistic performance were carried out experimentally and numerically. The failure characteristics, ballistic limits, energy dissipations, impact processes and interaction effects of these structures are discussed. To facilitate the establishment of numerical models for impact analysis using ABAQUS, a material constitutive model of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) including strain rate effect was developed. The numerical models of the monolithic single-sheet UHMWPE panel and airbag for impact analysis were subsequently verified by experiments in terms of impact processes and ballistic limits. The results reveal that arranging a few layers of UHMWPE panels in front of the airbag can improve the collapse ballistic limit while maintaining the failure ballistic limit. The inclusion of an airbag reduces the energy dissipation efficiency of composite structures. The potential to enhance ballistic protection through the combination of airbags and UHMWPE panels is highlighted. Stress dispersion and deformation restraint are identified as significant factors influencing the ballistic performance of the composite structures.

Pop-ups can be ugly: temporary architecture built with emotions

Pop-ups are temporary installations, constructions, or structures that suddenly appear in urban contexts to draw attention for commercial, artistic, or social purposes. Temporary pavilions, whose existence is bound to their capability to engage with unknown citizens or passers-by and offer them a spatial experience, are also identified as pop-ups. However, what are the features that make a temporary structure a pop-up? What architectural elements do designers outsource when conceiving and materialising pop-up architecture? At what point does a pop-up become something else? This paper aims to answer these questions by providing insights into design explorations that extend the meaning of pop-ups and enquiring, through a survey and interviews, the boundaries of what can be understood as pop-up architecture. Collective definitions address the fundamental role of human emotions in the conceptualisation and materialisation of these temporary structures, suggesting the secondary role of aesthetics when engaging with users.

Chiang Mai's Royal Crematorium: Siamese Influence Evident in Lanna Cremation Heritage

The Chao Luang crematorium was a temporary architecture made for the cremation and funeral of Chao Luang Chiang Mai (King of Chiang Mai). The creation of the Chao Luang crematorium reflected the social and political pressures of Siam that influenced Lanna territories during the reign of Phra Chao Inthawichayanon in 1873 till 1932 (coup d’etat), resulting in a change in the architectural style of these funeral structures. This research aims to study the architectural style changes of Chao Luang crematorium in Chiang Mai from the moment when Siam began to draw power from Lanna to the central part of the territory. The study results reveal that, originally, the funeral rites of Chao Luang followed a specific form of Lanna rituals. However, during the reign of Phra Chao Inthawichayanon, the 7th Chao Luang of Chiang Mai, new power from Siam was imposed on Lanna, which resulted in changes to the Lanna architecture and cremation traditions, aligning them more closely with Siamese traditions. Eventually, the traditional Lanna rituals were amalgamated into the style of Siam. The evolving architectural style of the Chiang Mai Royal Crematorium provides evidence of Siamese colonization’s ongoing impact on Lanna.

Temporary Architecture as a Strategy for Stimulating Historic Place

Temporary Architecture as a Strategy for Stimulating Historic Place

Temporary forms of performative space: Impact of temporary architecture on audience diversification

Abstract The term temporary forms of performative space was coined out of the need to define the group of objects under study that use temporality and the architectural input into a non-theatrical space, and serve as boundaries for performative content. One such space was designed and built in the previous part of the research. By analysing the space during its functioning, supported by examples from abroad, we offer an example of one of the possible solutions to the problem of theatre attendance. In the conducted study, we aim to support by a practical experiment the premise that temporary architectural forms intended for performance art can diversify and broaden the audience, thus making the theatre more inclusive. The method at hand involves the analysis of two performances. In the Jera show, we analyse the impact of an object located in a public space on the composition of the audience. The object adopts characteristics taken from examples from abroad. The Elektra performance serves as a reference example, where the object is present but not necessary for the relevance of the data obtained. The gathering of information – monitoring the influence of the architectural form on the composition of the audience – takes the form of questionnaires distributed before the performance. The individual questionnaires were processed into a spreadsheet from which research questions with follow-up responses were abstracted. Due to the insufficient number of comparable performances delivered, we can currently confirm the premise of the functioning of the temporary architecture as an attractor of the wider theatre audience only on the basis of the number of spectators who learned about the performance from the QR code, posted in a public space a week before the performance together with the installation of the object itself. This group of visitors surpassed 17%, which we consider a positive result that encourages us to create more testing events in various environments.

Digitalization and Spatial Documentation of Post-Earthquake Temporary Housing in Central Italy: An Integrated Geomatic Approach Involving UAV and a GIS-Based System

Geoinformation and aerial data collection are essential during post-earthquake emergency response. This research focuses on the long-lasting spatial impacts of temporary solutions, which have persisted in regions of Central Italy affected by catastrophic seismic events over the past 25 years, significantly and permanently altering their landscapes. The paper analyses the role of geomatic and photogrammetric tools in documenting the emergency process and projects in post-disaster phases. An Atlas of Temporary Architectures is proposed, which defines a common semantic and geometric codification for mapping temporary housing from territorial to urban and building scales. The paper presents an implementation of attribute specification in existing official cartographic data, including geometric entities in a 3D GIS data model platform for documenting and digitalising these provisional contexts. To achieve this platform, UAV point clouds are integrated with non-metric data to ensure a complete description in a multiscalar approach. Accurate topographic modifications can be captured by extracting very high-resolution orthophotos and elevation models (DSM and DTM). The results have been validated in Visso (Macerata), a small historical mountain village in Central Italy which was heavily damaged by the seismic events of 2016/2017. The integrated approach overcomes the existing gaps and emphasizes the importance of managing heterogeneous geospatial emergency data for classification purposes. It also highlights the need to enhance an interoperable knowledge base method for post-disaster temporary responses. By combining geomatic tools with architectural studies, these visualization techniques can support national and local organizations responsible for post-earthquake management through a 3D modelling method to aid future transformations or interventions following other natural disasters.

The Concept of Tent as a Temporary Architecture in the Millennium Era

The phenomenon of temporary architecture in contemporary urban and rural areas occurs due to permanent space limitations in accommodating dynamic environments. One of the temporary architectures that offer high flexibility is the tent. Despite often being underestimated or not entirely accepted as architecture, its adaptability has opened up opportunities for a new idea of elasticity and plasticity in this contemporary era. This research searches to question the stagnant paradigm by reinvestigating its temporal character. History- and theory-based bibliography methods are used to stimulate the informal meaning of the tent. The result is the concept actualization of contemporary tent architecture. The findings are a different perspective of nomadism, the tent’s simple concept, and a multi-dimensional tent’s scale. The novelty of the research is the new meaning of tents as a type of contemporary informal architecture.

Snap-interlock module system: Exploring an alternative architectural construction method

Responding to the rise of temporary architecture motivated by fast changing cultural and societal interests, construction methods must be adapted to meet the needs of reconfigurable systems. The prototype of Snap-Interlock Module System (SIMS) proposed in this study aims to integrate the simplicity of dry stacking as a primitive construction method through a coordinated joint system in order to increase material efficiency and structural integrity. This study explores a method of stacking blocks using unique interconnecting mechanisms without bonding agents to allow for reconfigurability. The considered unit of SIMS is configured to have four legs with integrated hooks on both top and bottom, allowing each block to snap into four adjacent blocks on either end. The centerpiece is designed such that each block can individually possess geometric versatility toward organic growth of the whole system. Larger assemblies of SIMS blocks can create full-scale structures without the use of bolting, welding, or other bonding agents. Finite element analysis demonstrates that the explored interlocking motion falls into the elastic range of the considered steel and confirms that structural integrity can be secured at the building scale as well. In order to test the proof-of-concept, 1:3 scaled Polylactic Acid (PLA) blocks are 3D printed and assembled into a 2.5 m tall portal frame, leading to a full-scale structural model executed with six full-scale steel blocks. The assembly and disassembly of both prototype structures are easily executed by a single individual. Despite the limitations of the chosen fabrication methods and material choices, the study promises diverse applications in the changing urban context and contributes to the broader sustainability of our built environment via an alternative and reconfigurable construction method.

Antisocial Housing: Migration and Temporary Architectures in Berlin

Antisocial Housing: Migration and Temporary Architectures in Berlin

Temporary building construction to make cities more sustainable: An innovative “Square Box” proposal

The so-called temporary architecture has become an instrument to respond to the needs of citizens, often changing within the contemporary reality. The analysis of the state of the art has underlined a growing interest of the scientific community toward these structures, especially in terms of sustainability and containment of the carbon footprint. Therefore, in this article a methodology has been illustrated to realize a temporary building called “Square Box”, that is a modular box-like element able to contain other component elements which, according to deployment maneuvers, can allow the easy increase of the surfaces for the sale. The element, as it was conceived, is part of the "closed cycle" construction systems, in which the uniqueness of the model allows to optimize a possible industrialization process. The approach starts from the analysis of the state of the art to identify the design criteria to be adopted in the development of the innovative temporary module and to determine the search gap. After, there is the design and prototyping of the Square Box. Finally, Life Cycle Assessment provided for a quantitative assessment on greenhouse gas emissions following the ISO 14040–14044 standards. The methodology also provides for monitoring but this last phase is undergoing and it will be explained in a future article. The main conclusions are that numerous benefits are offered by the temporary structures designed according to the criteria followed in the Square Box concept, in terms of reducing construction times on site, impacts on the environment as well as stimulating the recycling and reuse of the materials used in a circular economy perspective aimed at extending the life cycle of temporary structures.

Pop-up architecture as a tool for popularizing theatre: Prototype No. 1

Abstract This article builds on previous research dealing with temporary theatres in the context of Europe and Slovakia, discusses the topic of pop-up pavilions in terms of architecture, their use in marketing and as a potential tool for reviving the theatre scene. Just as temporary architecture can activate neglected areas in the city and bring stimuli for a permanent change, we believe that it can be equally stimulating in the area of theatre. The Shed by Haworth Tompkins is one of the examples to demonstrate a possible positive contribution of such designs to a permanent theatre and its surroundings. Based on the analysis of similar examples and statistical data on the attendance of theatre performances, we decided to design and implement a prototype of a minimal theatre scene, which also provides wide variability and can be used beyond the time dedicated to theatre activities. In the design phase, we examine the limits of variability and explore the basics of kinetic architecture. In the second phase after the object is assembled and implemented, the subject of research will be its impact on the environment, the extent of user interaction with the object and the overall functionality of the object. The ambitions of our project do not reach as high as presented in The Shed. The aim was to test the possibilities and viability of a much smaller object, to document the cultural, educational, and even economic benefits, in domestic conditions of Slovakia. Thanks to The Program for the Support of Young Researchers of the Slovak University of Technology and The PUN (Universal Design Support) Project No. 321041APA3 financed by the European Social Fund, the object is currently in production, and later will be moved to the faculty premises, surface-threated and then assembled for the very first time. The prototype should be fully available by the end of the year 2022.

Written and Pictorial Sources on the Architecture of Persia and Central Asia during the Era of Timur’s and Timurids’ Rule

The article is devoted to the study of the most valuable source at the culture and architecture of Persia and Central Asia during the reign of Timur (late 14th — early 15th centuries) — the diary of the Spanish ambassador to the court of Timur. At this stage in the development of researching on the Persian and Central Asian architecture of the Timurid period, along with the problem of “analysis” of monuments and artistic style, the problem of “synthesis” of image of these architecture is urgent. The authors of this article propose a methodology for restoring the general impression of this architecture, which can serve as a basis for the process of “synthesis”, based on the study of the contemporary written source of the early 15th century — the diary of the Spanish grandee Ruy Gonzalez de Clavijo, who was part of the Spanish embassy, sent by the Castilian king Enrice III to the court of Timur at 1403–1406. Being an educated man and receptive to the new, Clavijo was able to isolate the characteristic features of the worldview of a man of the East, primarily an oriental despot, and the associated features of the art of the East. He and his colleagues in the embassy drew attention to the cunning, treachery, ingenuity, secrecy of the eastern rulers. The Spaniards were struck by the luxury, power and wealth of Timur’s state, which at that time was at the zenith of glory. The Spaniards, accustomed to the stability of architectural images in their native Spain, were amazed at the variability of the artistic images of the East. They drew attention to the love of the representatives of the peoples of the East for free draperies, giving themselves to the will of the wind, in the temporary architecture and in festive women’s clothes, that by their nature were well consistent with the decoration of architectural buildings. The Spanish envoys revealed that subservient to the first and most faithful fresh impression, tenaciously grasping the main difference between the architecture of Timur’s state and contemporary European architecture. This difference consisted in the desire to create an image that is changing, diverse, fluid, mobile, not instantly solved and full of mystery, but at the same time striking the imagination with its luxury and wealth and according to the understanding of their masters, customers and spectators. The conclusion about the specifics of Timurid architecture, made on the basis of a study of the diary of the Spanish ambassador, is supported by the authors of the article turning to the analysis of written and pictorial sources created by representatives of the studied culture itself.

Temporary architecture in the 21st century as an expression of changes taking place in contemporary society

Temporary architecture in the 21st century as an expression of changes taking place in contemporary society

Temporary use of abandoned buildings

Abstract Temporary architecture is a way to produce an instant experience. It concentrates on a specific location and develops unique tactics to activate it. It adapts to the site, which is often abandoned and backward. Temporary use focuses on a single purpose and its influence at a given moment. It reflects the current economic state and situation in adjacent neighbourhood and community. It aims at becoming a catalyst for a permanent change. Empty buildings represent a valuable resource for urban development of an area. They belong to the category of areas suitable for reconstruction. Their activation contributes to the recycling of areas within the urban structure increasing the efficiency of land use and contributing to the sustainable development of the territory. A removal of abandoned buildings from a functioning urban organism has a negative impact on the integrity of the urban structure. Archipop is the author’s newly established database focusing on the topic of temporariness in architecture. Its aim is to map successful activations of abandoned buildings by the means of temporary interventions in Europe. Archipop deals with the subject of ‘pop–up’ in architecture. Its prime objective is to attract a target group of users over the shortest period of time possible by exclusivity of a presented activity, concentrating on temporary uses located in abandoned buildings in Europe. It examines successful projects of activation of unused objects by using temporary activity profile. Targeting at interested public, potential investors, and last but not least government and municipalities, Archipop was created to provide inspiration and opportunities of temporary use. Its ambition is to promote revitalisation of unused areas with the use of temporary architecture and to save historic heritage from its terminal destruction.

Urban acupuncture – ephemeral arrangements of space

Development of modern cities, technological progress, reising pace of life, fast-changing fashion and increasing needs of society make the offered urban solutions lose their relevance relatively shortly after their introduction forcing to search for new concepts. In response to those changes, multifunctional, mobile spatial forms are proposed, often with direct possibility of makeing changes. They have been called 'injections' of new ideas and qualities and fall within the definition of 'urban acupuncture'. Usually, the short lifetime of such objects determines cheap, easy to apply solutions. These are ephemeral forms: temporary, short-lived, corresponding to the needs of a specific place at a specific moment. Temporary actions are a form of provocation, it forces you to look at a known place from a different perspective. These types of interventions are aimed to improve or suggesting of the necessity to improve the quality of existing public space, architecture and its health. Text is based on analysis of documents: available scientific studies, documented examples of architectural and artistic solutions, as well as comments and observations relating to these realizations. Submitting this topic to theoretical reflection is aimed to draw attention to selected issues linking architecture with art in the context of 'city acupuncture', understood as spatial realizations and intervention projects in 'sick' areas of architecture. The text discusses the characteristics of temporary architecture and art in public spaces in the context of revitalization activities.

Temporactive pavilion: second design-to-construction loop of an ultra-lightweight temporary architecture

ABSTRACT The paper presents the design to construction process of an ultra-lightweight hybrid temporary structure consisting of a combination of bending-active glass fiber-reinforced polymers arches, a restraining system made of stainless steel cables, and a translucent membrane envelope. After a brief introduction to the basic design concepts and versatility of the modular system to create different shapes, the paper focuses on the fast-track erection procedure that enables to build the pavilion in a very short time. A multi-disciplinary team had collaborated at the design development of the temporary pavilion, built with the aim of deepening a wide range of aspects that are peculiar to temporary architecture. The aim of the second design-to-construction loop, following the first loop which resulted in the construction of the first full-scale prototype, is two-fold: firstly to optimize the innovative mix of lightweight structural components with the aim of reducing the total weight of the building (and thus facilitate transport and installation), and secondly to test the technical details designed to favor reversibility and to ensure the re-usability of the structure for multiple cycles of use. The paper concludes by showing the results achieved and the lesson learned from the first construction of the temporary pavilion in occasion of a one-week event and anticipating the further studies regarding the interface between structure and membrane envelope, also in relation to the building expected life-span and requirements.

Artificial Intelligence Based A Optimization Routing in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

A Mobile Ad Hoc Network (MANET) is a hotchpotch of nodes with mobility feature, the established network utilization is dynamically outlined based on temporary architecture. In MANETs, the challenging and vital role is played by the routing protocols performance factors under different condition and environments. The routing protocols are liable to handle many nodes with limited resources. There exits many routing protocols in MANETs, one of the main key note that has to be considered in designing a routing protocol is to observe that the designed routing protocol is having an proportionate effect on network performance. The existence of obstacles may lead to many geographical routing problems like excess consumption of power and congestion of data. The aim of this paper is to take the assistance of A* algorithm that finds the walk-able path avoiding the concave obstacle in the path relaying on the gaming-theory model[29]. This algorithm decreases the delays in packet transmission and in turn increases the success rate of transmission. We take into consideration path length, penalty for node availability as probability of forwarding criteria and processes effective packet transmission. The simulated results analyse the performance of our protocol over other conventional algorithms based on congestion cost, path length, node availability penalty, delay, packet loss, throughput.

Re-designing a temporary pavilion into a NZEB open lab for a university campus

During the Milan Design Week 2018, a temporary pavilion - “Delight The Light” – has been design and built - as press room for Officina Tamborrino - using their own products as construction technologies. This paper explains the evolution of this project from a temporary architecture into an NZEB open lab for university students. The introduction of innovative multilayer insulator materials characterized by high heat-reflecting properties and the tailored envelope design ensure the satisfaction of comfort both in winter and summer season and reduced drastically the time of constructions. The process, followed to reach the NZEB target, is based on performance-based design analysis. In particular the validation phase has foreseen a very detailed modelling steps on the building model through dynamic thermal simulations with finite element method to validate its thermal and hygrometric performances, coupled with daylighting and fluid dynamics simulations to consider also the users behaviour and well-being during the design stage.

Sustainable and creative temporary architecture – the activities of the assemble collective

Sustainable and creative temporary architecture – the activities of the assemble collective