Transforming Umbrella Facade | 3Gatti Architecture Studio
When 3Gatti Architecture Studio was asked to come up with a new design for the Foreign Office Architects’ Madrid Pavilion from the 2010 Shanghai Expo, they decided on a facade of opening and closing steel umbrellas.
Chief architect Francesco Gatti said “We came up with this idea because on sunny days here, Shanghai is full of people with umbrellas. Here they are common objects used for sun shading.
” The parasol-like screens will be made from perforated Corten steel that each fold open from a spring-loaded central joint. The new cladding will replace bamboo louvres that have started to rot, and occupants will be able to adjust this cladding to control light levels inside the building.
By Alice T. Hellyar
Courtesy of 3Gatti Architecture Studio
Alice Hellyar is an Architect and Craftsperson in the Columbia River Gorge of the Pacific Northwest, where she has practiced since 2011. Her work includes custom residential design with a focus on site specific homes. She is continually exploring the relationship between the natural world and the built world, which inspires her work. Alice is licensed in Oregon and Washington and is an AIA member. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Virginia Tech.