IBM Traveling Pavilion

In 1983, IBM devised a travelling exhibition to promote advances in computer technology for telecommunications. Reinforcing their message that workstations could be virtually located anywhere, this temporary structure was designed to be assembled, exhibited for a month, and then dismantled at each of its 20 European destinations including Lyon, London, Rome, Milan...

The pavilion is a transparent tunnel, sitting on a raised platform that houses its supporting services. It is 48m long, 12m wide and 6m high. In order to facilitate easy assembly, disassembly and transportation, the enclosure is made of modular, repetitive elements of wood and polycarbonate. These elements are connected together by carefully crafted aluminium joints to form the weathering envelope as well as its structure.