The pavilion was designed and built for the participation of the Vokos tile and sanitary ware store at the 100% Hotel Show. Vokos has built a strong reputation by understanding architects and putting its materials at the service of their ideas and aspirations. The pavilion needed to embody the boldness and versatility that define the ethos of the company, showcasing these qualities.
Project Name: Take me to garden
Studio Name: VOLK for A2 Architects
Location: Mec expo paiania, athens
Date: 2018
Surface: 70 m2
Photography: Maria mavropoulou
Visitors enter a lush garden, set against an oversized white-tiled backdrop. A long red table spans a gazebo with thin frames and a heavy, ornamental crown. At one end, a name sign and lit tile panels mark the entrance to the garden. At the opposite corner, a sitting nook, nestled between two large marble surfaces, is hidden within the plants.
The space is a snapshot in time. Materials are returned to the moment they were born – the marble slices look as if they were freshly cut from the quarry, the soil in the garden waits to be mixed with water and turned into clay, which will then be molded and baked into tiles. The aim is to showcase the beauty of the materials and their infinite possibilities, allowing them to take the shape of imagination while still remaining connected to nature.
Speak to the eye, so it speaks to the mind.
The metal frames supporting the gazebo are excessively thin, with varying dimensions—some slightly smaller, others slightly larger. They are stretched to their limits to support the crown. The marble surfaces are formed from the largest tiles available on the market, pushing the material’s strength to its limits during digital cutting. All these elements are out of scale, either smaller or larger than usual. The shades are similar, with only subtle differences, yet still not identical, as if someone accidentally mismatched the colors.
Gestures typically seen as mistakes to be corrected here become design tactics, paying homage to our undesigned everyday lives. Take me to garden embraces imperfection and subtle details. Mismatched proportions and shades, raw materials, and contemplative spaces invite a connection with the beauty of nature’s in-betweens.
