Frankfurt Pavilion celebrates its comeback

After making its debut in 2018 (see photo above) and having been re-erected again in 2019, the Frankfurt Pavilion designed by schneider+schumacher is once again creating a space for getting together around books at the Frankfurt Book Fair. This year will be the third time it has been erected – following two years when the Book Fair was restricted due to the pandemic. The pavilion is designed as a temporary structure that can be stored to save space, and following five days of assembling work, the Frankfurt Pavilion’s programme launched the Book Fair’s opening press conference. As a cultural-political stage, the temporary building will be hosting exciting events from 19 to 23 October.

The Frankfurt Pavilion consists of three interlocking shell-shaped wooden ribbed structures covered by a membrane. Like a tent, the membrane is attached only with cords to the primary frame and to the floor of the ribbed structure and, together with the timber elements, creates a loadbearing structure. Seen from outside the structure resembles a closed shell while its interior space astonishes visitors with its impressive light timber structure, which not only spans the entire volume but also doubles up as an oversized bookshelf.

Till Schneider uses a model to explain the pavilion’s design here: