Aberdeen celebrates design at the Castlegate

Specially designed structure which has been erected in the Castlegate is to be the central hub for Aberdeen's Six Cities Design Festival, Scotland's first nationwide celebration of design.

Called the monkey puzzle pavilion, the building is set to be the information centre, exhibition and event venue, and is also a "micro cinema" and general meeting place during the Six Cities Design Festival.

It was commissioned especially for the Festival from leading UK based architect and lecturer at Robert Gordon University, Professor Jonathan Woolf.

Originally inspired by a fragment of a famous building in the Swiss mountains of Graubunden, the Pavilion is made entirely out of sustainable wood and is an unusual shape, taking the form of a cross which is partly in reference to the old Mercat Cross at the Castlegate.

Each arm of the cross is a different size of space with either a window or doorway at the end of each of the arms.

An exciting glass topped opening in the centre of the space frames views of the sky.

Following the end of the festival the pavilion will be moved to another site and, with the addition of more permanent cladding, will go on to become a significant modern contribution within the landscape of the Shire.

Professor Woolf says the inspiration began by looking at the way the Monkey Puzzle Tree grew.

He said, "There are several of these exotic species which were imported to Aberdeenshire from Chile in the 19th century and can now be found all over the shire in established places with heritage.

Growing up to 20 metres in height, they have a slim straight trunk and spiky sharp green branches that sprout in a cross shape from the trunk.

It can live for a thousand years.

"The building is over 700ft2 in size with tall ceilings so it has several possible uses, either for meeting or working space for up to five people.

Professor Stuart MacDonald, Head of Gray's School of Art, said, 'Jonathan's building is an intriguing space which will be a great talking point in Aberdeen during the Six Cities Design Festival.

It is a fascinating building'.

The Festival runs until Sunday 3 June.

As well as an information point for events taking place across the city, activities in the Pavilion include: '10 minutes on design', a series of short presentations on things that matter in design today (everything from lifestyle and interiors to skateboarding); 'Petrolia', a film which explores the decline of the Scottish oil and gas supplies and represents a record of the industrial design that has supported these sectors for decades; and 'Micro-Cinema: Thinking Aberdeen', a documentary on Aberdeen's design successes.

Another film shows the development of the building from conception to completion.

In addition, directed by students from RGU's Scott Sutherland School, schoolchildren will be making their own mark on the project by making their own drawings and designs which will then be transformed into wood relief panels that will be hung onto the outside of the building.

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