PEARCE+ Builds Guerrilla Shading Pavilion from Salvaged Materials in London
A mobile, modular structure addresses urban heat using reclaimed timber and textile waste.
1Collaborative Urban Cooling Project
Architecture practice PEARCE+ partnered with Shade the UK and local volunteers to construct the Guerrilla Shading pavilion in Camden, London. Commissioned by Camden Town Unlimited and Euston Town BIDs for the Camden Inspire festival, the project serves as a practical response to rising urban temperatures and the persistent urban heat island effect.
2Modular and Reusable Design
The pavilion is engineered as mobile, demountable infrastructure intended for continuous reassembly rather than single-event usage. Its primary framework consists of five prefabricated timber panels, specifically sized for transport in a standard transit van. This modular approach ensures the structure can be relocated and adapted for various urban sites as needed.
3Salvaged Material Integration
Sustainability is central to the design, which utilizes structural timber salvaged from previous PEARCE+ installations. The lower facade features reclaimed nylon membranes sourced from hot-air balloon textile offcuts provided by Cameron Hot Air Balloons and Inflate Studio. These materials are manually woven by volunteers to create a functional, secondary shading lattice.
4Engineering for Thermal Comfort
The structure features a tapering profile designed to counter wind loads transferred by cantilevered tensile canopies. Naturally dyed canvas sails, developed with artist Auda Sakho, project outward to expand the shaded footprint. An open-lattice configuration facilitates continuous natural cross-ventilation, providing passive thermal comfort for visitors during periods of peak solar radiation.
5Public Participation and Craft
Completion of the pavilion involved active participation from festival attendees and local volunteers who hand-wove the textile braids onto the timber frame. This collaborative construction process not only finished the structure but also served as a community engagement tool, highlighting the potential for DIY urban cooling solutions in dense city environments.
6Open-Source Knowledge Sharing
Alongside the physical installation, PEARCE+ and Camden Inspire released an open-source guide titled 'Guerrilla Shading Our City.' This manual details low-cost shading tactics, including DIY external shutters, tensile sail construction, and urban tree planting strategies. It also provides guidance on navigating municipal planning permissions to encourage widespread adoption of these cooling methods.
7Technical and Design Team
Led by Owen Pearce, the design team included Owen Hughes Pearce, Ken Pearce, Sam Bray, Charlotte Martin, Hannah Innes, and Tim Lyddon. Structural engineering support was provided by Root Workshop and Momentum Structural Engineers. The project represents a multidisciplinary effort to integrate professional design expertise with community-led, sustainable construction practices in London.
8Future Urban Implications
The Guerrilla Shading pavilion demonstrates how salvaged materials and modular architecture can address climate-related urban challenges. By prioritizing reusability and open-source documentation, the project offers a scalable model for cities facing increasing heat. Future urban planning may increasingly rely on such lightweight, community-built interventions to enhance public space climate resilience.