Sliding along a raised platform adjacent to a former brewery and factory complex, this creative little pine structure is a mobile party pavilion that lights up like a lantern to host events after dark. The old Cesis Beer Brewery in Latvia is set to become a center for arts and science, and the pavilion connects the facility to the adjacent Castle Park. Made of locally sourced pine, the structure was designed and built by 13 students from the Riga Technical University Summer School.
Pine is frequently chosen as the main material for temporary pavilions like this one, but ‘Night Train’ stands out for three reasons: its dangling, light-diffusing lumber ‘curtains,’ its illumination and the way it slides up and down the 43-foot-long track like a carriage. The track also functions as a walkway linking the industrial complex to the wall overlooking the park.
There’s a table at the lower end, and a dining platform at the higher end. At night, a section of the pavilion’s roof is removed to shine light up onto the brewery’s towering brick chimney, allowing it to act as a beacon inviting passersby to come explore. It’s a cool example of unusual and creative temporary architecture, putting a spotlight on the versatility of pine.
“Night Train aims to provide a visual link, allowing views for brewery visitors to the park and creating curiosity about the changes afoot at the brewery from the public outside. We wanted to use light as a key element, as it has the ability to effect and transform spaces far beyond what we can physically build in this short time. At night the glowing lantern peering over into the public park attracts curiosity about what changes are going on in this derelict territory.”
