The Collusion 2019 Pavilions, designed by architect Charles Holland, are four structures – each with its own unique shape, size, and colour – originally commissioned to house artworks for the Collusion 2019 showcase. We are now urgently seeking to re-home these beautiful pavilions as a single set before the end of March 2021.
If you are interested providing the new home, please read the info below and contact us ASAP (ideally by 08 March) at info@collusion.org.uk.
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY RE-HOMING? We’ve had the pavilions flat-packed in specialist stage storage since April 2019 and realistically won’t be able to use them again so we are looking for a permanent new home/owner. We’re happy to gift them to a charity or not for profit organisation, or to give them to a for profit organisation where there is clear community or artistic benefit. If you are a purely commercial organisation, we’d welcome a donation to our organisation. We have funds to support moving the pavilions to their new home but this needs to be spent by the end of March 2021. If we are unable to re-home the pavilions, our only remaining option will be to dispose of them.
HOW BIG ARE THEY? WHAT ARE THEY MADE FROM? There are four structures, each with its own unique shape, size and colour. Two are 7.3m (sides) by 4.5m (front & rear), and two are 4.9m (sides) by 4.5m (front & rear). They all have sloped roofs that are 2.4m high at the rear and 3.2m at the front.
They are constructed from timber, coloured corrugated metal (plain with no markings or words) and birch-faced plywood. The birch ply is untreated so not weatherproof for permanent use. However, this could be remedied by treating the ply or using alternative weatherproof cladding. Inside, each pavilion is painted black.
WHAT ABOUT DOORS, FLOORS & WINDOWS? Each pavilion has basic wooden doors that can be locked with a padlock from the outside. Although designed to include floors, the pavilions were ultimately built without them as this presented the best option for us. However, it would be straightforward to add the floors using the architectural plans, which we provide. The pavilions were designed as blackout spaces, so there are currently no windows and none in the architectural plans but it would be possible to add these into the frames.
ARE THERE ELECTRICS or INSULLATION? No but paneling could be added across the struts to create a cavity for insulation, electricals, etc.
WHERE ARE THE PAVILIONS NOW? CAN I SEE THEM? They are currently flat-packed in dry storage at a specialist theatre set storage company near Cambridge, which means it’s not possible to view them in person. However, you can watch our short film about the pavilions in the Media section of this page. There are also great images on the project page and in this Architecture Now article.
After the Collusion 2019 showcase, the pavilions were deconstructed with care. All of the parts are labelled, and codified rebuild plans will be provided. We estimate that the basic rebuild of the four pavilions would take approximately 7 days with a team of four strong workers. We can provide the contact details of the carpenter who built and took down the pavilions if you would like to approach him about managing the rebuild.
CAN I HAVE JUST ONE OR TWO? No, we want to keep them as a set. This is partly for aesthetic reasons. Also, as it would be very difficult to separate all the parts in storage. Plus we don’t have the resources to relocate them separately.
WHAT COULD THEY BE USED FOR? The pavilions are essentially a village of four beautiful architect-designed sheds that could have many uses. With some small modifications, they could be permanently sited. We’d love to see them re-purposed for other arts projects, e.g. as exhibition space or as artists’ studios. They would also make amazing meanwhile spaces on university campuses or as part of community development programme, and they’d be fantastic as glamping-style holiday pods or a series of activity spaces.
Unless you have access to a large storage facility and team of in-house carpenters/maintenance, we would not recommend them for temporary use as the panels are large and heavy, which making moving and erecting them fairly expensive.
STORAGE & TRANSPORTATION: We have funds to support the transportation and handling of the pavilions from their current home to a new one. In April 2019, we hired a transportation company who used a 9m arctic crane trailer with a ‘toast rack’ (our term) to securely stack and hold the various parts. It required two loads to move everything.
HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT FOR THEM? We are happy to gift them to a charity or not for profit organisation, or to give them to a for profit organisation where there is clear community or artistic benefit. If you are a purely commercial outfit, we’d welcome a donation to our organisation. Either way, please get in touch if you are interested.
OTHER QUESTIONS? All the information above is correct to our best knowledge and the re-homing will be on this basis. If you have further questions or would like to make an offer, please contact us at info@collusion.org.uk – ideally by 08 March as we have to move them before the end of March 2021.