Detail Magazin | Serie 2013 1/2 Transparent und - Heinsdorff, Markus

10
12 Leuchtende Edelsteine für Indien – ein Interview mit Markus Heinsdorff 2013 ¥ 1/2 ∂
We decided that, to avoid wasteful intercontinental
transport, all components of the pavilions
would be produced in India. Then we
went to work to develop a structure that
would require the least possible mechanical
cooling. That is why we developed types, for
example, whose double skins keep the air
moving continuously – a principle used in
traditional dwellings. The outer skin of one
type is woven, and in this manner, a variety
of openings are created that, for example,
ventilate the pavilion and provide shade. We
tested this type in advance – as our construction
office. We had no air conditioning, just
two fans, and were able to keep cool at 40°
to 45° C.
The membrane used for the outer skin is
made of PVC. How can that be reconciled
with sustainable building methods?
Our concept foresaw, of course, the use of
natural materials. And, needless to say, there
are fabulous products available. But the costs
were prohibitive. Our choices became even
more limited because we needed a relatively
small amount of material, and by our desire to
use material made within the country’s borders.
Fire­resistance standards also had to be
met – and, by the way, we were under obligation
to heed both the Indian and the German
building codes. So, in the end, PVC was the
only option for the outer skin. The good thing
about the material is that it can be employed
11 12
well in India. And it has withstood the strains
of transport between the different locations
surprisingly well – on flatbed trucks that have
passed through sandstorms and monsoons.
But their durability after the event is also very
important to me. The intention is that they be
installed somewhere permanently, for example
at a university, or as a display pavilion. The
Chinese pavilions have, for example, found a
new home in France.
The membrane you used is, to a certain degree,
permeable to light. What role does
translucence play in the pavilions?
First of all, with these mobile structures I hope
to call attention to principles of environmentally
sound construction methods. We used
membranes with 10% permeability. This material
has the advantage that the interiors,
which are used for exhibitions, conferences,
presentations, and other events, require no
electric lighting during the day. But the atmosphere
is also much better than in standard
tent structures encountered in Asia, which are
typically impervious to light and are, generally
speaking, spaces in which one does not feel
at ease. The translucence gives the space a
warm­toned light – an effect that is reinforced
by our choice of an off­white inner membrane.
And the play of shadows in the double­skin
pavilions is incredibly alluring. This was also
the case in our earlier bamboo structures as
well: I worked with metal mesh and, by over­
10 »German beer garden« auf der »Urban Mela«
in Delhi, November 2012
11 Pavillons Typ 2 und 3
12 Markus Heinsdorff im Gespräch mit Ausstellungsbesuchern
10 The German Beer Garden at the Urban Mela in
Delhi, November 2010
11 Pavilion types 2 and 3
12 Markus Heinsdorff talking with visitors to the
exhibition
Das Interview führte Christian Schittich in Delhi.
Christian Schittich conducted the interview in Delhi.
lapping it, achieved silky effects. But the trees
also cast shadows on the membrane and at
times create a spectacle that is reminiscent of
Japanese ink­wash painting.
And seen from outside...
...there is the daytime look and the nighttime
look. I am, by training, a sculptor. For this reason,
the play of light and shadow over the
course of a day is very important to me. Consequently,
the outer envelope is articulated
three­dimensionally: the surfaces are animated
regardless of the colour that has been employed.
At night, in contrast, they glow like
lampions, which have a long tradition in India.
To what extent can these wandering pavilions
serve as a model for these principles?
Of course I would like to encourage the use of
textiles in buildings, because India has a long
tradition of this, although there is not much
evidence of it in today’s cities. There are, as I
mentioned, the wedding tents, but these are
standardised, and there is no further development
of them. The growing population, however,
is creating a need for flexible housing.
Some commuters spend up to five hours a
day on the train; others build temporary housing
from discarded material – a phenomenon
involving recycling, not to be confused with
slum building – and reside there a few weeks
before returning to their permanent homes.
The idea of being able to transport a house on
my back – but in a different sense from camping
– inspires me to develop flexible systems,
ideally using natural materials. Bamboo is predestined
for such applications. It grows
around the globe in a specific climate zone
and is usually accessible to the general public,
particularly so in India. It can be harvested after
just three years, for example following
earthquakes or flooding – which are frequent
occurrences in India. On the other hand, a
membrane produced with the simplest of
means is ideal. But the people of India – and
elsewhere in Asia, as well – tend to look down
on bamboo and textiles in buildings. I hope to
turn these attitudes around by developing a
high­tech structure that brings to mind a small
spacecraft that has just landed on Earth.