Location: Cambridge, MA, US
Year: 2023
Program: Pavilion
Floor Area: 1,444 SF
Additional Credits: Dash Marshall (People Party)
Status: Unbuilt
The Canopy Circle
Our project is an ode to the Old Yard. A profound beauty lies in this imperfection, stories of harmonious chaos of growth that transformed this landscape. It is an invitation to embrace the unexpected, to wander off the beaten path, and in doing so, to immerse oneself in the dance of irregularity that defines it. 'The Canopy Circle' becomes a poetic extension of the Old Yard, where our collective differences are celebrated, and diversity becomes the threads that stitch our community together. It is a circular wooden structure, centered on an American Sweetgum in the yard. It consists of two concentric rings that form an arcade, enveloped in a veil of traditional Chinese tie-dye fabric. A path cuts through this arcade, allowing for a rerouting of circulation into the structure, while preserving access to the existing path. The circular layout encourages collectivity at its center, while the intricate wooden detailing and the traditional cloth offer a detour into an intimate, liminal space. In the evenings, the circle illuminates to celebrate the timeless ritual of gathering underneath the Yard’s canopy.