The Stack Pavilion

It does not provide shelter as warm, insulated buildings surround it. Instead, it offers something new. The Stack is an experiential sculpture and a statement against the excessive spending seen in institutions like Jesus College, which is the fourth most well-off out of the thirty-one in total. Working within these restrictions shaped the process: materials were foraged before design began. A material palette was established—grey cobbles, red handmade Cambridgeshire bricks, and disused chimney pots from nearby student houses. The ‘as found’ approach reframed the ordinary, embracing the inherent qualities of materials: ‘the woodiness of wood’, ‘the sandiness of sand’. Here, the ‘clay-ness’ of bricks, rusted metal brackets, and opaque sapling tubes became integral to the design. This approach was first difficult to justify; despite promised savings, the maintenance team sought a budget increase. However, as discussions evolved—with a rough ‘cigarette packet sketch’ in hand—perspectives shifted, demonstrating how much could be achieved using only what was available within the grounds of the college. This philosophy plays out in layered materiality. At ground level, heavy elements—bricks and cobblestones—create stability. Above, sapling tubes form an opaque screen, shielding users while drawing the eye upward. This contrast between weight and lightness creates a dialogue between permanence and elevation. By focusing on the ordinary, The Stack embodies bricolage, proving the continued relevance of the ‘as found’ philosophy in contemporary architecture.