Understanding & Reconciliation

‘You see this in Studio Saar’s work all the time; often-overlooked materials forming something bigger, more powerful and more potent. The Pangolin Shield is exactly that,’ explains Ananya Singhal, Managing Partner at Studio Saar. Singhal has collaborated with structural engineering practice Atelier One to create a pavilion made from a bamboo grid, constructed by artisans in India. The form is covered with traditional Indian police shields made from lathis – heavy bamboo sticks and knups – woven rain shields, traditionally used by farmers in north-east India.

For Professor Neil Thomas, Founder and Director of Atelier One, the use of bamboo posed a series of challenges. ‘Nature doesn’t follow any rules; it is non-uniform. We’ve been working with bamboo for a long time, and one of the difficulties is how you bring it together to create forms in a way that is transferable.  We have now arrived at a point where technology allows us to work with the beautiful vagaries of nature by using a series of connectors, which is very exciting,’ he explains, adding: 'We worked with Node Company to develop these connectors, through a comprehensive understanding of the complex properties of this natural material.'

For Singhal, this project is also deeply rooted in craft. ‘This pavilion is crafted in every sense of the word: in terms of how we think about its construction, and in the idea that we can use technology to simplify what would once have taken a lot of time to do by hand. But then we use our hands to make it. It’s the best of both worlds; a joyful piece of co-creation.’

Beyond the physical, The Pangolin Shield has important stories to tell about collective shelter in a world where confrontation and state authority are a growing threat, and where the legacies of a colonial past need to be confronted. ‘The impact of colonial rule continues to be strong. It’s deeply ingrained in our culture, and we need to talk about it. I am very interested in exploring these existing legacies. I want to try to help develop better awareness, and to bring a level of mutual understanding and reconciliation,’ says Singhal.

This message is all the more apposite when you consider the pavilion’s location on the Strand, just behind the Indian High Commission, near a bust of Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister. It will also stand close to Somerset House, once a centre of colonial administration. ‘When a pangolin is threatened, it rolls into a ball with its head turned away from the aggressor,’ explains Singhal.

For Thomas, the pavilion embodies the idea that you can change the perceived weight of an object through its context. ‘The imposing buildings that surround The Pangolin Shield help to create a lightness that will lift the structure. We considered the wind, light and shade, not just in material terms but in how the structure will interact with its immediate environment. These things are not accounted for nearly as much as they ought to be.’

Ultimately, both Singhal and Thomas want people to engage with both the meaning and the physicality of the pavilion. Singhal says, ‘My dream is that kids will ask their parents questions and the parents will be bamboozled and need to discover the meanings behind the pavilion. It is human nature; when you look at something new that feels safe, you want to explore, and we want people to do just that. I believe that the route to hope is through curiosity. With The Pangolin Shield we hope to spark that curiosity, so people can start to hope again.’

Words by Tamsin Kingswell