Luminous Drapes / Studio Toggle

Architects: Studio Toggle
Area: 200 m²
Year: 2018
Photographs: Gijo Paul George
Manufacturers: Figueras, Ikea, Kirby
Lead Architects: Gijo Paul George, Hend Almatrouk, Hessa Al Thuwaikh, Lulwa Al Obaid
Other Participants: Nuqat, IKEA, Back Combined Co.
City: Kuwait City
Country: Kuwait

Luminous Drapes, an outdoor pavilion designed by Studio Toggle for the cultural forum “The Human Capital 2018” organized by Nuqat, transforms the outdoor plaza of the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Centre in Kuwait City. Completed in 2018, the pavilion offers a flexible, lightweight space, adaptable to various activities. The design, derived from an analysis of anthropometric parameters, led to a modular system using scaffolding and laser-cut IKEA drapes. At night, lighting accentuates the pavilion’s grid and the spatial dynamics, turning it into an engaging environment that reacts to the presence of its users.

Studio Toggle was commissioned by Nuqat, a Kuwait-based nonprofit, to design an outdoor pavilion for the “Human Capital 2018” cultural forum. The site for the project was the outdoor plaza of the newly opened Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Centre in Kuwait City. The pavilion’s design focused on creating a lightweight, flexible space that could adapt to various activities. These activities were analyzed through anthropometric parameters, shaping the design to ensure the pavilion could accommodate a range of functions in innovative ways.

The anthropometric parameters informed the design of various voids that catered to the planned activities, organized within a modular grid. A low-tech, cost-efficient system was developed, using reusable construction scaffolding and laser-cut IKEA drapes. These voids, formed by subtractive operations on the drapes, were categorized as activity facilitators and occupied accordingly. The 3×3 meter modular grid, constructed from scaffolding, featured drapes arranged in patterns generated by a parametric algorithm. Variations in height and width led to users intuitively interacting with the spaces, reacting differently based on the pavilion’s dynamic spatial arrangement.

At night, the pavilion’s ambiance shifts as lighting transforms it into a dynamic space. Light acts as a sculptural medium, enhancing the perception of the grid and the surrounding area. It frames and redefines how users engage with the structure, highlighting the spatial qualities of the pavilion. The project exemplifies an upcycled habitat, created from a utilitarian, modular grid system, blending functionality with aesthetic appeal to offer a transformative experience for visitors.