In architecture, nature can be an inspiration in many ways — including the pursuit of organic shapes, the use of materials of natural origin, drawing on the surrounding landscape, or through bionics, the imitation of the structure and action of organisms. A bit of each of these elements is included in the "Caterpillar" pavilion, an initiative of Jerzy Łątka, an architect and researcher concerned with the possibilities of using paper in design.
Caterpillar pavilions in the Park du Cinquantenaire in Brussels during the international New European Bauhaus Festival
photo: Jerzy Lątka
a house made of paper
Jerzy Łątka gained his experience at the side of the master of "houses of paper" — Shigeru Ban, a Japanese architect and Pritzker Prize winner, who is known for using paper as a construction material in his projects. His "Paper Partition System", an aperture system of cardboard sleeves that give a modicum of privacy in spaces providing temporary shelter for refugees or people in need, proved itself, among other things, at a reception point in Chełm after the start of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Read more: Shelter architecture in Chelm. Pavilions by Shigeru Ban have been built in Tesco
maggots, wasps and noodles
As it turns out, the mechanical properties of paper can be compared to those of a cooled portion of cooked spaghetti! And although it's still rarely used in the construction industry, as Łątka proves, paper made from wood is suitable for use in both temporary and permanent structures.
It's time for another curiosity: the first producers of paper were.... wasps! Their nests are built from fine paper produced from chewed and mixed with wood saliva. Inspired by the structure of wasps' nests, Jerzy Łątka creates unique constructions, testing the possibilities of this accessible, cheap and ecological material.
The structure of the pavilion is formed by 24 arches of glued wood
photo: Jerzy Lątka
Two of them — Caterpillar pavilions — stood in April in the Park du Cinquantenaire in Brussels during the international New European Bauhaus Festival. Jerzy Łątka's team was invited to the event as one of three representatives of pioneering design solutions to present their vision of a sustainable and inclusive future.
crawler pavilion
The structure of the caterpillar pavilion consists of 24 arches of glued wood (with radii ranging from 235 to 265 centimeters) filled with 330 paper sleeves (27.5 in diameter and 60 centimeters long). The sleeves were made from recycled paper, which was impregnated using natural products such as linseed varnish and wax.
project drawings
© Jerzy Łątka
Construction of the "Caterpillar" pavilion
Photo: Jerzy Lątka
The rhythmic arrangement of the structure creates a spun, organic form resembling the soft body of a maggot. In addition, the sleeves became the carrier of an exhibition dedicated to the New European Bauhaus — illuminated by LEDs in the full spectrum of RGB colors, like another insect, the hollyhock worm, they enriched the surroundings with soft light.
The sleeves became the carrier of an exhibition dedicated to the New European Bauhaus
Photo: Marcin Zieliński | Illustrations courtesy of Jerzy Łątka
Illuminated Caterpillar pavilions in the Park du Cinquantenaire in Brussels during the international New European Bauhaus Festival
photo: Jerzy £ątka
After the festival, the pavilions were moved to the campus of Wroclaw University of Technology.
"Caterpillar" pavilion on the campus of Wrocław University of Technology.
Photo: Marcin Zieliński | Illustrations courtesy of Jerzy Łątka
The authors of the project are: Dr. Jerzy Lątka, Artur Jörgen, Daria Pawlosik, Monika Tomaszewska, Nina Miłoslawska, Adam Sterniuk, Michal Chodzikiewicz, Przemyslaw Ryś.
The pavilion was made by: Jerzy Łątka, Artur Jörgen, Daria Pawłosik, Monika Tomaszewska, Nina Miłoslawska, Adam Sterniuk, Michał Chodzikiewicz, Przemysław Ryś, Kinga Wasilewska, Robert Czajka, Radosław Majewski, Paulina Sołowiej, Dominik Gromek, Małgorzata Lewoniuk, Paulina Rajzer, Emilia Rogowiec, Patrycja Burda, Adam Kusznierz, Mateusz Boruta, Sara Korżyńska, Monika Tomaszewska, Filip Herzyk, Tomasz Bednarz, Adam Banasiak, Agnieszka Sterniuk, Nikola Latkowska, Mikołaj Ciekański, Zuzanna Wojciech, Maria Rutecka, Izabela Łącz, Katarzyna Popiel and Szymon Caruk.
