CloudHouse

CloudHouse was a temporary pavilion that provided much-needed shade during the summer months. As summers in New England get warmer due to climate change, there are longer and more frequent heat waves. The Resilient Cambridge Plan recommends the use of shade pavilions in public spaces, particularly in neighborhoods with fewer shade trees, to reduce the effects of extreme heat, enhance outdoor comfort, and create joyful community places. CloudHouse offered ample seating and an open form that invited people to socialize, rest, and enjoy a favorite neighborhood park! 

Design and Construction:

The pavilion was constructed using a technique that creates structural surfaces by bending low-cost flat material. The material used was a recyclable UV-treated plastic. Its translucency provided shade while letting ambient light through.

The entire structure was composed of only three different parts that shaped the roof, walls, individual seats, and communal benches. Each plastic sheet was used in its entirety; no part of it was removed and thrown out. Instead, they were simply bent to shape, resulting in no off-cuts and no waste. The pavilion was constructed in modules so that they could be reconfigured based on specific park needs.