London studio Waugh Thistleton Architects has constructed a wooden pavilion that is cube-shaped on the outside but spherical on the inside for Global Design Forum Istanbul.
Called Pavilion of the Moment, the temporary structure sits next to the Turkish capital’s oldest church, Hagia Irene, in the grounds of the Ottoman-era Topkapı Palace.
It is composed of standard-profile planks of Turkey-grown pine, which have been arranged in a simple lattice structure to form four permeable six-by-six-metre walls animated by sunlight and shadow.
Pairs of thin boards sandwiched together run horizontally, with chunkier boards resting on them vertically.
On each elevation the vertically oriented boards fan outwards, so that they appear to be emanating from the centre of the cube almost as if the pavilion is in the process of disintegrating.
“The stacking timber structure that radiates in plan from the core is simple and repetitive, caring and legible – and as you peer through the openings, the movement of the outside world and the fleeting shadows are gorgeous,” Waugh Thistleton Architects co-founder Andrew Waugh told Dezeen.
The ends of the vertical planks have been stained ochre, in reference to the Turkey red dyeing technique developed in the 18th century, as well as the country’s association with scarlet hues.
Taking on the same colour is a small wooden plinth raising the base of the cube, with visitors able to enter the pavilion via a gently sloping ramp.
Inside, the upper and lower layers of the walls taper inwards to create a spherical cocoon, as well as bleacher-style seating.
A square skylight allows sunshine in through the roof, with floorboards and ceiling boards arranging in matching concentric squares.
Shady and cooled by the cross-breeze, the interior has the feeling of a space for public mediation, similar to its ecclesiastical neighbour.
The juxtaposition of the pavilion’s cuboid exterior and it spherical interior copies the geometry of the Hagia Irene, a seventh-century Byzantine church with an impressive dome roof.
Waugh Thistleton Architects had been tasked by Global Design Forum Istanbul artistic director Melek Zeynep Bulut to deliver an installation that “considers the relationship between architecture and the temporality of human existence” in keeping with the event’s Praise of Transience theme, according Waugh.
“We wanted the pavilion to feel open, calm and inviting,” said Waugh. “Somewhere people could slow down and experience the changing qualities of light, shadow, movement within the palace grounds.”
“As people move through the structure, the timber lattice shifts between moments of openness and enclosure – reflecting on ideas of transience, and an architecture that is lightweight, adaptable and responsive rather than permanent or monumental,” he continued.
Pavilion of the Moment is the first contemporary installation within the Topkapı Palace complex. As a contrast to the monumental and historic architecture that surrounds it, the structure is demountable.
Due to time constraints and access restrictions at the historic site, the architects opted for a design that could be fabricated and assembled quickly and with minimal equipment.
The pavilion was assembled by a team of carpenters in four days. Because vehicles were unable to enter the palace grounds, each component had to be light enough to be carried and lifted into position by hand.
Waugh Thistleton Architects, which collaborated with the Turkish National Wood Association on Pavilion of the Moment, is known for its work with timber.
It was responsible for the world’s first mass-timber tower – Murray Grove in London – and the world’s largest cross-laminated timber building by volume, Dalston Works.
The photography is by Mark Cocksedge.
Global Design Forum Istanbul took place at the Topkapı Palace, Istanbul, Turkey from 14-15 May 2026, with installations across the city. Visit Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.
