The Bruges Biennale Pavilion, designed by Jon Lott and the PARA Project, is a temporary exhibition space created for the 2021 Bruges Triennale TraumA. Situated in the Bruges region of Belgium, this pavilion serves as an activity hub for the Triennial, which focuses on exploring themes of urban trauma. This pavilion is one of several international commissions that opened in the city during late autumn of that year.
Located at the edge of Bruges, the pavilion sits adjacent to a residential waterway and matches the scale of nearby buildings. Constructed with a wooden frame, it stands on 15 connected floats, which prevents direct contact with the protected UNESCO heritage city. From summer through autumn, visitors can relax in the central area of the site. The plot is divided into two sections due to its close proximity to a 15th-century canal house.
The close proximity between the pavilion and the historic canal house results from a careful study of spatial boundaries. However, the architect differentiates the new structure through distinct orientation, materials, scale, and posture. Both buildings seem to carry their own histories and challenges, seeking solace and understanding. Ultimately, architecture is first perceived through experience and only later comprehended.
This pavilion is the third installment in the Urban “Strangers” research series. The previous projects include the Storefront designed by Jon Lott in 2016 and the Roche/Dinkeloo Double, exhibited in 2018 at the Art Center of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Each work employs a similar “common framework” construction method and engages with urban issues in collaboration with various institutions.
Project Drawings
△ General Layout Plan
△ Float Plan
△ First Floor Plan
△ Second Floor Plan
△ Elevation Drawing
△ Elevation Drawing
△ Elevation Drawing
△ Elevation Drawing
△ Elevation Drawing
△ Section Diagram
△ Section Diagram
△ Analysis Chart
△ Analysis Chart
△ Analysis Chart
Project Information
Architectural Design: PARA
Project Year: 2021
Photographers: Iwan Baan, Stijn Bollaert, Jasper van de Groenewoud
Design Team: Jon Lott, William Smith, Rachel Coulomb, Lauren McClellan
General Contractor: Classic Homes Brugge
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