The central garden pavilion for the Chelsea Flower Show 2024 is inspired by the idea of the constant movement of water. It was designed specifically for the international non-profit company WaterAid, which supplies clean water around the world, by Weave Studio in collaboration with designer Tom Massey.
Organizers say the project will help raise awareness of the impacts of climate change, including droughts and floods caused by heavy rain, which are particularly acute for gardeners. The emphasis was placed on the reasonable consumption of resources: among other things, the pavilion is designed to collect rainfall, which can later be used to irrigate plants.
The structure is made from 299 thin steel strips formed around curved reinforcement. The columns extend upward to form a large roof that provides shade on sunny days. Rain falling on the roof passes through the soil and the plants planted in it before being sent to a storage tank. The studio explains the choice of Corten steel as the main material due to its strength and durability, as well as aesthetic qualities.
The pavilion is home to a variety of vibrant and resilient plant species, selected for their ability to respond differently to rainfall. These include water violets, which “can indicate whether a water source is clean or polluted,” and alder trees, which “have nodules on their roots that are adept at absorbing nitrogen and toxic heavy metals from the ground and improving soil health and fertility.”
Comments