By Jon Lott of Para Project unveiled the Brugge Diptych Pavilion as a temporary installation for the 2021 Brugge Triennale, TraumA, held in Brugge, Belgium. This pavilion, known as the Diptych, served as an event space for the Triennale’s programming, offering a platform to address urban trauma issues and serving as one of several international commissions across the city.
Floating Amidst the Waterways
Situated amidst Brugge’s peripheral and residential waterways, the wood-framed pavilion stood on 15 sistered pontoons, carefully avoiding direct contact with the city’s protected UNESCO Heritage sites. Despite being roughly the same size as its neighboring structures, the pavilion created a distinct presence, resting mid-block adjacent to an abandoned 15th-century canal house, effectively dividing the block into two.
A Study in Formal Estrangement
The close proximity between the pavilion and the canal house sparked a study in formal estrangement. Despite their differences, the pavilion and the canal house shared a connection through orientation, materiality, scale, and posture. This juxtaposition highlighted the shared experience of architectural trauma, emphasizing the emotional resonance of architecture before its intellectual understanding.
Serial Study of Urban “Strangers”
The Brugge Diptych Pavilion is part of a serial study of urban “strangers” initiated by Jon Lott. This study includes previous projects such as the Storefront for Storefront (2016) and the Roche/Dinkeloo Double at the Fine Arts Centers, Amherst (2018). Each project employs the common framing construction technique while addressing specific urban concerns unique to their respective contexts.
Conclusion
The Brugge Diptych Pavilion stands as a testament to the intersection of architecture, urbanism, and emotional experience. By engaging with the surrounding context and embracing the concept of urban estrangement, Jon Lott and Para Project have created a thought-provoking installation that invites reflection on the complex relationship between built environments and human emotions.
