Wrapped in a beautiful facade of hexagonal mesh, this Mobile Performance Venue cuts a striking profile while making strident efforts to size down its carbon footprint. Conceived by Norway’s Various Architects, the superstructure features an inflatable facade that is 100% recyclable and a collapsible design that renders it completely mobile, fitting into roughly 30 shipping containers. That’s an impressive feat for the largest mobile venue in the world, measuring 90 by 60 meters and accommodating up to 3,500 people!
Touring acts tend to incur colossal carbon footprints due to the massive amounts of materials that they transport across great distances. This mobile venue approaches the sustainable stadium from a new angle, opting for an ultra lightweight construction to minimize the energy expended to transport it: “Our main goal was to make the structure as lightweight and compact as possible to reduce shipping weight and volume.”
Various Architect’s venue prizes versatility and features an assortment of modular components that allow it to accommodate a range of events and environments. It can be outfitted with stadium seats, and optional mesh covers provide protection from sun and the elements. A marvel of engineering, the MPV assembles in just two weeks, and only takes about a week to disassemble making it perfect for on-the-fly performances. In addition, almost every part of the structure is recyclable, from its bright-white facade to its aluminum support system.
Beautiful, versatile, and easily transportable, we are thoroughly impressed by the MPV’s aesthetic and architectural merits. Still, that’s only half of the battle, since the spectators in attendance contribute carbon footprints of their own. This is a site-specific problem that can be alleviated via smart use of public transportation and other accessibility options as featured in Herzog and de Meuron’s Portsmouth Stadium.
The stage is set for the structure’s first show next year, Identity of the Soul by Arts Alliance Productions.
Via designboom.com
Tip from Chris Worrall
