Students design reusable timber pavilion for Austria's Gabonsa Music Festival
Temporary structure explores circular construction techniques for adaptable festival space.
1Innovative Approach to Sustainable Festival Architecture
Students from Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences designed a fully reusable timber pavilion for the Gabonsa Music Festival in Innsbruck. Part of a project to revitalize a former landfill through cultural events, the structure investigates circular construction methods. Serving as both viewing platform and relaxation area, the pavilion demonstrates sustainable temporary architecture.
2Maximum Functionality with Minimal Resources
Built using 4-meter timber beams and screw joints without adhesives or permanent connections, the pavilion can be completely disassembled after the festival. Wood components were cut only when structurally necessary, allowing most materials to be reused in their original dimensions for future projects. This approach minimizes waste while maintaining structural integrity.
3Versatile Design for Multiple Uses
The terraced pavilion frames surrounding views while providing spaces for sitting, reclining and gathering. Its stepped side facing the main stage functions as an amphitheater, while the workshop-adjacent area creates a more sheltered environment. Standard construction materials like reflective foil and safety nets are creatively repurposed as architectural elements.
4Site-Responsive Structural Solution
Positioned on a small hill in collaboration with festival organizers, the pavilion responds to the site's topography. Red tension straps visibly express the structural system while ground screws ensure minimal environmental impact. These elements guarantee complete reversibility, allowing the structure to leave no trace after dismantling.
5Creative Reinterpretation of Construction Materials
The project transforms ordinary building materials into architectural features. An aluminum vapor barrier becomes a lightweight canopy, while orange safety nets serve as hammocks. Reflective surfaces mirror the surrounding mountain landscape, creating visual focal points. This material innovation demonstrates how resource efficiency can enhance design quality.
6Sustainable Potential of Temporary Architecture
The Gabonsa Pavilion proves that even temporary structures can be environmentally responsible and multifunctional. Developed through academic-professional collaboration, it offers low-budget yet high-impact architectural solutions. Such initiatives could pioneer sustainable practices in the event industry, showing how design can balance functionality with ecological awareness.