YOU&ME and Cooke Fawcett Architects are collaborating on public realm pavilions at International Quarter Stratford, London. The Living Room is the first of a family of structures which facilitate mobile working within the new Lendlease Mixed-use Development. The concept draws on ideas of domesticity and ‘working-from-home’, and creates a series of house-like forms which are variously grouped, rotated, and scaled up.

In an environment of large commercial buildings, the colour and life of the landscaped spaces are key.  The Living Room pavilion provides an inviting human-scale place within the public realm, as well as aiding with wayfinding across the large site. It responds to changes in contemporary work practices and the new work-from-anywhere reality which has become ever so more relevant within the pandemic context.  The space provided much needed outdoor sheltered meeting spaces during COVID restrictions.

In the Living Room, the house profile is turned onto its side and stretched to form the 11m long amphitheatre, located to face events and screenings in the British Council offices. Externally, metal glossy shingles pick out hues of the surrounding planting by Gustafson Porter + Bowman, and relate to the other future structures. Internally, glulam beams and timber seat pads bring warmth and a 7m ‘collaborative’ table (with swing out stools, charging points, wi-fi and lighting), playfully invite people from nearby offices and the passing public allowing for day time and night time use.

The design is constructed as modular components using off-site technologies. The project is designed to a 50 year life expectancy and has a very robust maintenance strategy allowing recycling and replacement of parts.

Photography by Peter Landers.

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