Big John

Special Mention [Tac! Festival of Architecture and Urbanism] [Tac! Festival Arquitectura y Urbanismo]

Big John is the great urban activator: a landmark, an installation, a connecting link, and a pleasant meeting place.

The Plaza del Humilladero articulates the passage to the south of the city, feeding the urban flows of the area. Therefore, a pavilion that generates urban activity is projected, captivating passersby with its height, color, and functionality.

Big John is not just a pavilion; above all, it is a catalytic agent for culture, leisure, and social exchanges.

During the festival, concerts, exhibitions, projections, and assemblies will be held. Likewise, users will be free to appropriate the installation and propose new spontaneous activities.

Big John’s main premise is circularity; it is built with reusable, recyclable, and zero-waste products:

Its skeleton consists of ten eleven-meter-high scaffold towers. These are rented and returned to the supplying company after the festival ends. Its skin is composed of yellow hammocks, versatile and lightweight pieces that colonize public space and blur the boundaries of the pavilion.

After the festival, citizens will take ownership of the installation by taking the hammocks, thereby extending their lifespan and participating in the small circular ecosystem around Big John.

Location: Granada, España

Client: Tac! Festival

Scale: 64 m²

Type: facility

Program: public space

Status:  competition

Architects:  meii (Elvira Carrión, José Mª Mateo)

Team:  Clara Torregrosa