And thanks to City modules, we live in a world of Pop-up architecture

The company KOMA MODULAR, with its City modules, continues the popular Pop-up architecture. At the beginning of the summer, you could see several interesting Pop-up realizations at the International Film Festival in Karlovy Vary. The City modules provided support for Czech Television and helped present luxury cars from BMW.

However, Pop-up realizations do not concern only Karlovy Vary. They are everywhere. We can visit pop-up amusement parks, shop in pop-up stores, eat in pop-up restaurants, or stay in pop-up hotels. "Architecture has turned into an experience. An experience that is purposeful and makes it difficult to recognize the difference between design and art installation," says Melanie Ryan, Design Principal at the experimental and mobile design house Open For Humans in Los Angeles.

Pop-up architecture offers something rare: design that is unadulterated. Traditional, permanent architecture often needs to serve multiple purposes and architects must balance the demands of investors, users, and future building owners. In contrast, Pop-up architecture can focus on the uniqueness of purpose and its impact, which allows for experimentation. Pop-up architecture also enables engagement with society in areas that are neglected by the mainstream or can be realized in unused spaces. The temporary pop-up realizations themselves can serve as a catalyst for permanent change.

Elements of Pop-up architecture can be seen throughout history

Pop-up architecture is not a new trend. Even opposing Romans built temporary wooden amphitheaters and theaters. Temporary architecture in ancient Rome was a rich celebration and expression of ideals against the establishment. During the Renaissance, we can see a revival of temporary architecture alongside other classical forms. Notable are the temporary realizations during the time of Henry II, which showcased the best in temporary design of the era.

Perhaps the most famous world-renowned work of temporary architecture is the arch that marked the entrance to the World Fair in 1889, Exposition Universelle in Paris. The Eiffel Tower was supposed to stand for 20 years and then be removed. Fortunately, that did not happen, as today no one can imagine Paris without this landmark.

History provides many examples where pop-up architecture helped promote an alternative to mainstream perceptions. An example can be the 2015 Pulp Pavilion by Ball-Nogues Studio, which was realized at a two-weekend festival of music and art in Coachella Valley. This company designed a new material for construction from recycled paper pulp. After the festival, the Pulp Pavilion structure was disposed of in a less costly manner than comparable materials like fiberglass or plastics, which are traditionally used for similar constructions.

Contemplating the entire life cycle is typical for Pop-up architecture. Benjamin Ball, lead artist and principal of the Ball-Nogues team, describes the shift in thinking in design: "We design for the disappearance of the project and its physical properties."

Awareness of Pop-up architecture spreads through social media

Temporary architectural installations are becoming calling cards for young architects, and social media has proven to be a strong asset when it comes to publicizing pop-up design. Social media has helped transform the temporality of Pop-up architecture into permanence. The enduring life of these realizations on social networks has removed the temporality of these realizations, allowing them to continue living in the virtual world.

City modules and their Pop-up creative realizations have added another dimension to this topic in the form of sustainability through their repeatability. The design studio Olgoj Chorchoj, in collaboration with CMC Architects, designed a temporary pavilion to showcase new BMW models, which was first presented in 2016. This year, the base of last year's pavilion was used with a changed facelift. The House of Czech Television was designed by designer Adéla Bačová and premiered at the FFIKV this year.

Excerpted from an article by Marni Epstein-Mervis "The Rise and Rise of Pop-Up Architecture."