Why Do Materials Die Young?

4/4/24

4/4/24

Why Do Materials Die Young?

Concrete waste dumpster - 100m away from built project
Concrete waste dumpster - 100m away from built project
Concrete waste dumpster - 100m away from built project
Scaffoldings piled up - 2.2km away from site
Scaffoldings piled up - 2.2km away from site
Scaffoldings piled up - 2.2km away from site
Abdul Haleem wrapping Polythene sheets arround scaffolding
Abdul Haleem wrapping Polythene sheets arround scaffolding
Glimpse into seating area
Glimpse into seating area
everything in this image was waste. sheets, wood, scaffolds, bricks, CMU
everything in this image was waste. sheets, wood, scaffolds, bricks, CMU
modular scaffoldings allowing subtractions in between and height differentiation therefore interlocking
modular scaffoldings allowing subtractions in between and height differentiation therefore interlocking

Why Do Materials Die Young? While cruising around Al Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, we began noticing piles of unused construction “waste.” Mapping the area revealed a larger pattern tied to the island’s rapid transformation into a cultural hub. Materials were being rejected—unused and unrecoverable. This sparked the question: Why Do Materials Die Young? This pavilion was a response. Using found materials—scaffolding, polythene sheets, CMU blocks, scrap plywood—we reassembled what’s typically discarded into a fully inhabitable structure. A scaffolding grid formed the base, rotating into five meta-elements for seating, café, kiosk, and gift shop. Gaps between them became circulation paths and planted zones. The commissioned workers—accustomed to treating scaffolding as a temporary tool—approached the project with curiosity and humor. This time, scaffolding became the architecture itself. Construction required rapid, on-site adaptations in response to power outages, shifting circulation, neighboring pavilions, and even a helipad. Each meta-element was wrapped in mesh or plastic, tuned for wind, light, and spatial enclosure. Though the plan reads as five parts, the section reveals their spatial unity—connected through height, air, and light. Developed under the mentorship of Prof. Faysal Tabbarah for the Abu Dhabi Art Pavilion Prize – 6th edition, 2024.This collaborative submission also included Abdullah Abass and Omar Darwish.Special thanks to the workers whose speed, flexibility, and imagination made it possible.