The Rapidly Deployable Pavilion project, led by Dr. Negar Kalantar at the California College of the Arts, is part of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studio: Materiality & Space 4. This research-driven studio explores adaptive design, digital fabrication, and deployable architecture, focusing on structures that can be efficiently transported, assembled, and disassembled for various applications, including disaster relief, military operations, and temporary events.

Key Areas of Investigation

Scissor Mechanism Structures: Students explored various scissor-based deployable systems to develop pavilions capable of compact folding and rapid expansion.
Origami-Inspired Cladding: Applying principles of origami and folding, students designed lightweight, collapsible cladding systems to integrate within the deployable framework.
Digital Fabrication & Material Constraints: Utilizing CNC-milled plywood linkages and 3D-printed joints, students engaged in a hands-on fabrication process, considering material tolerances and assembly logistics.
Functional & Aesthetic Considerations: Balancing performance and visual impact, projects investigated how deployable structures can be both efficient and architecturally expressive.

Project Deliverables & Prototypes

Students developed physical models, digital drawings, animations, and fabrication-ready designs, including:

Tessellated Pavilion Models demonstrating collapsibility and deployability.
Transformation & Assembly Diagrams visualizing movement and construction processes.
Rendered Drawings & Posters summarizing the design process and outcomes.
GIF Animations illustrating the dynamic transformation of both the structure and cladding system.

This project equipped students with practical skills in deployable architecture, digital craft, and parametric design, fostering innovative approaches to temporary and mobile structures.