EXPLORE THE ALUMINUM PAVILION THAT REFLECTS THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH THE DESIGN BY ARCHITECTS & ASSOCIATES AND FAMELINE AT ARCHITECT’25
TEXT: NATHATAI TANGCHADAKORN
PHOTO: KETSIREE WONGWAN
(For Thai, press here)
Aluminum has long been a material of choice for architects, offering a versatility that has allowed it to be adapted in myriad ways over time. Whether employed in its traditional forms or reimagined through diverse cross-sectional profiles, aluminum has increasingly emerged as a medium for architectural innovation—an evolution particularly evident over the past few years. Nevertheless, when it comes to the notion of sustainability, now a pressing concern across nearly every industry, aluminum is still not the first material that many readily associate with the term.
Renowned for its strength, lightness, and resistance to corrosion, aluminum remains a material of exceptional performance. Fameline, a leading Thai designer and manufacturer of aluminum products, seeks to advance a vision of sustainable architecture through the use of recycled and upcycled materials. Despite the process of reuse, the inherent quality of aluminum ensures that the structural strength remains fully intact and reliable. At Architect’25, Fameline’s Thematic Pavilion designed by Architects & Associates (A&A) expresses this structural confidence to striking effect, featuring a series of fins elegantly arrayed in a continuous, sweeping curve spanning over six meters.
If Fameline Café once hinted at new possibilities for aluminum profiles beyond the conventional, the Thematic Pavilion unveils the potential of a new material: the Aluminum Honeycomb Panel (AHP). Composed of a lightweight internal honeycomb structure, here AHP takes from as a series of large fins are elegantly sequenced into sweeping arches that reach out to embrace passersby – achieved without the aid of any reinforcing steel frames. In its sculptural flow, the pavilion evokes a continuous journey of change and renewal over time, embodying the first chapter of its conceptual narrative: ‘My Time, My Space – Turning Waste into Wonder.’
A shift in perspective reveals the pavilion’s opposing side: a wall crafted from Aluminum Composite Panels (ACP), folded into geometric box forms and assembled into an elongated composition. This installation was conceived to showcase the rich palette of colors and surface textures achievable with aluminum, each revealed differently depending on the angle of approach. It resonates with the second chapter of the concept, ‘My Space’, a creative metaphor for the individuality of every person. The wall also demonstrates the flexibility of ACP as a material that can be easily cut, folded, and perforated. Notably, after the exhibition concludes, the panels can be dismantled, the aluminum separated, and recycled into raw material for new production.
‘My Time, My Space – Turning Waste into Wonder’ emerges from a vision to repurpose leftover materials from other projects, reflecting Fameline’s commitment to a future that nurtures both the planet and the creative industries. It also underscores the brand’s long-standing dedication to supporting Thai manufacturing through sustained local production and innovation. In this pavilion, Architects & Associates (A&A) offer a bold proposition to the design community: to reimagine material boundaries. Aluminum, long regarded as a purely utilitarian element, is revealed not as a limitation, but as an invitation to uncover new realms of architectural possibility.
