the diversity pavilion

Design choices have a significant impact on how people interact with the world. While Architecture’s primary function is to create spaces that serve both the practical and functional needs of users as well as aesthetic purposes, design choices can either create barriers or opportunities for different groups. As of late we have witnessed a paradigm shift towards socially and ecologically sustainable futures in the built environment – an architecture which aims to provide environments that support human activities, promote well-being, and reflect cultural, social, and environmental values. Aligning with the above, the Diversity Pavilion is an interactive space which aims to foster intersectional design as a practice anchored in the fact that we all have our voices to be heard and our unique cultures and experiences to be reflected in the built environment.

Engaging in advocacy work towards more diversity in architecture is quite challenging though as most of the stakeholders in the field may reduce it to adding representatives of different cultural backgrounds through selecting people with a variety of complexions, beliefs or demeanours. But as global advisor Ronnie Sheth once put it: ‘It is only when we acknowledge diversity and inclusion to be more than just skin color that we can identify the glaring need to create a safe place for everyone to be heard, accepted and recognized for their unique identities, perspectives and talents.’

With the Diversity Pavilion our goal is to combine sustainable wooden construction with inclusive design and translate this vision into a sensory-friendly space for dialogue and community. We imagine that the venue will be suitable for hosting conversations and debates, launch publications, showcase inclusive design, present exhibitions or simply be a room for contemplation and reflection – embodying our ongoing research into the character of diversity. All at once an architectural statement, a room for gathering and a source of inspiration the pavilion aims at helping its visitors build knowledge about diversity and gives us an occasion to raise key questions which may lead to further investigation.   

The Diversity Pavilion is part of a series of Arkitektforeningen’s Inclusivity Platform and will be delved into during an upcoming event on May 7th. Find out more about it here:

https://arkitektforeningen.dk/kalender/hvordan-kan-diversitet-blive-en-del-af-formgivningen/

The Diversity Pavilion is a collaboration between Curated Works and Building Diversity with the support of Arkitektforeningen, CAFx and the following foundations: Tommerhandler Johannes Fogs Fond

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