Populous Collaborates With UK Architectural Association on New Pavilion Exploring Sustainable Design Practices

Developed in partnership with Populous’ Global Digital and Motion Graphics teams, together with Experience Studios — the Populous-owned audiovisual consultancy — the project explores sustainable architecture using rattan canes, integrating computational design and robotic fabrication to advance biomaterial construction.

Jonathan Nelson, Global Head of Digital at Populous said:

“This collaboration between Populous and the AA exemplifies the successful convergence of academic research and practical application, showcasing how both can work together to develop innovative solutions to complex spatial and material challenges. It also highlights the potential of immersive experiences and digital twin technology to enhance user interaction within the digital realm.” 

By combining robotic precision and renewable materials, the pavilion transforms traditional fabrication into a waste-minimising and sustainable construction model for future architectural practices.

Through the correlations between generative design, material computation, and prototyping, the DensiFlora Pavilion advances rattan — a renewable and durable biomaterial — for lightweight, bending-active, and stable enclosures. With a full-scale prototype, it integrates rattan’s mechanical properties with form-finding, simulation methods and structural analysis. Employing robotic fabrication demonstrates adapting traditional processes to computational design, opening new avenues for biomaterials in large-scale structures and emerging technologies.

Dr. Elif Erdine, Co-Director of the EmTech Program said:

“The DensiFlora Pavilion embodies EmTech’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of sustainable architecture through the fusion of biomaterials, computational design and advanced fabrication. This collaboration with Populous has enabled us to harness the versatility of rattan, showcasing how computational and robotic methodologies can transform a traditional material into an innovative, waste-conscious structure that inspires future architectural building practices.”

Structure

The structural system of DensiFlora employs rattan canes to create lightweight, bending-active, and stable enclosures through a modular aggregation method. Rattan’s flexibility and durability make it ideal for bundled, friction-based configurations. The system consists of various modules, each with distinct mechanical properties optimized via computational simulation. Robotic fabrication methods, including precise twisting of rattan bundles, enhance assembly efficiency and structural stability. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) guided the arrangement of the modules, ensuring overall stability under applied loads, and the modular design allows for disassembly and reconfiguration, aligning with sustainable construction practices​

Through modular design and the use of renewable rattan, this project exemplifies a sustainable approach to construction, minimizing waste by enabling full disassembly, relocation, and reuse without the need for new materials.

Waste management and minimization in this project are achieved through a thoughtful integration of modular design, material selection, and robotic fabrication techniques. The use of rattan canes, a rapidly renewable and biodegradable material, aligns with sustainable practices by reducing dependency on synthetic materials and minimizing ecological impact. The modular system allows for efficient assembly and disassembly, which supports reuse and reconfiguration of the structure without generating additional waste. By employing robotic fabrication for precise bundling and twisting, material use is optimized, reducing off-cuts and excess. Additionally, the structural system’s adaptability enables relocation without the need for new materials, as the modules can be disassembled, transported, and reassembled with minimal resources. This approach not only underscores the project’s commitment to waste reduction but also demonstrates a sustainable model for large-scale biomaterial applications in construction​.

Dr. Milad Showkatbakhsh, Co-Director at EmTech explains:

“The DensiFlora Pavilion represents a significant advancement in integrating physical and digital calibration within the early form-finding stages of biomaterial-based construction. By combining computational design with hands-on material testing, this project addresses the inherent variability of rattan — a flexible and anisotropic material — through precise adjustments in digital models based on observed material responses. This iterative approach has been critical in controlling rattan’s bending-active properties, enabling stable structural configurations without reliance on conventional supports. The collaboration with Populous illustrates EmTech’s approach to creating spatially complex structures that leverage the properties of biomaterials and computational precision, setting a foundation for more sustainable architectural practices through adaptive design and robotic fabrication.”

Interactive Design

The DensiFlora Pavilion integrates advanced sound and lighting to create an engaging sensory experience. Developed in collaboration with Populous-owned audio-visual consultancy Experience Studios, the pavilion features interactive lighting activated by contact microphones, producing a dynamic visual display through pixel tape and diffused tubing. Contact microphones capture trigger layered sounds, contributing to a custom soundscape, while strategically placed speakers enhance the audio experience on opening night. The overall interaction blends digital and lighting elements, offering visitors an audiovisual encounter that highlights the pavilion’s structural and material design.

Kevin Luckhurst, Director of Experience Studios, explains:

“Responding to the sculptural form, we are bringing the Pavilion to life through audiovisual activation – sound, light, and human interaction. A soundscape for the opening night takes the audience through three different sound-scenes inspired by the form – Origin, Machine Form and Cycles of Becoming. The soundscape experience consists of three themed soundscapes (Origin, Machine.Form, Cycles of Becoming), each lasting 10 minutes before transitioning to the next. Audience interactions are encouraged via six contact microphones attached to the sculpture’s fabric, allowing the audience to “play” the sculpture. The interactions trigger melodies, notes and sounds adding layers to the base soundscape. LED lighting strips on nine of the sculpture’s petals illuminates the underside of the sculpture. On the opening night, the lighting will also react to the human interaction (via the contact microphones).”

Immersive Experience

The DensiFlora Pavilion also offers visitors an immersive experience with an Augmented Reality (AR) app, developed in collaboration with Populous Global Digital team, that adds an interactive layer to the pavilion. On-site, the app connects with the pavilion to enhance the visitor experience, showcasing the steps involved in its fabrication, structural design, and sensor integration. The app also includes an off-site feature, letting users explore and interact with the pavilion virtually from anywhere, sharing the process of DensiFlora’s unfolding and its design journey with a wider audience.