WINNER OF THE 2024 RAIC RESEARCH AND INNOVATION AWARD
The Temple of Light in Kootenay Bay, BC, was the first large-scale realization of a prototype by Patkau Design Lab. The structure?s curved petals are made from wood joists laid in non-parallel ruled surfaces, and clad with a taut plywood skin. Photo by James Dow / Patkau Architects
Patkau Design Lab is the research and fabrication wing of Patkau Architects. More than simply a workshop, it engages in speculative experiments that test the potential of new ways of working with common materials. Through iterative development, attention to detail, and a refined aesthetic, this experimental work has evolved into fully realized furniture pieces, pavilions, and building elements.
Patkau Design Lab?s inaugural project, the Winnipeg Skating Shelters, explored how sculptural forms could be created by bending sheets of plywood. Photo by James Dow / Patkau Architects The lab believes that understanding material, force, and form at a deep level is essential for architectural innovation. ?Its inaugural project, Winnipeg Skating Shelters, was inspired by the way a small plastic satchel, made of two flat sheets, expands when gently squeezed into an appealing volumetric form. The lab simulated this deformation with sheets of plywood, then expanded the exercise with multiple sheets to create larger volumes and more sophisticated compound curving surfaces.
Turning to more robust materials, the lab began applying the same techniques to thin ...