Data Play Pavilion

Edinburgh Festival Fringe installation

The Data Play Pavilion is a pop-up exhibition space in Edinburgh designed to spark curiosity about the future of design and technology.

It invites visitors to explore what it means to design with data through hands-on objects, interactive installations, and spatial experiences.

The pavilion mixes architecture, graphic design, and digital thinking. It turns abstract ideas about data into something physical, playful, and accessible.

Interactive exhibition pavilion
Interactive exhibition pavilion

Collaboration & Content

The exhibition features work developed by the Design Informatics research centre, Design Informatics MSc students, and Tesco Bank. These groups collaborated with Biomorphis for the second year running as part of the Mercury project.

By bringing academic research, industry insight, and spatial design together, the pavilion creates a shared platform for experimentation and dialogue.

Design and data exhibition

Concept & Narrative

The design concept emerged directly from the exhibition content. The pavilion reflects on what data is, how it moves, and how it might appear at a larger scale. Instead of treating data as invisible, the project makes it tangible.

Wires and cables inspired the spatial language. They represent the invisible systems that carry information. The pavilion translates these systems into an architectural experience that visitors can enter, touch, and explore.

At the same time, the structure needed to attract attention. During the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, competition for visibility is intense. The pavilion therefore had to feel open, playful, and instantly engaging.

Design Informatics exhibition pavilion
Design Informatics exhibition pavilion

Material Strategy

Ropes became the primary expressive element. They echo the idea of cables while adding softness and humour to the space. Ropes also perform well outdoors. They resist water, tolerate heavy use, and suit the unpredictable Edinburgh summer.

The structural core uses off-the-shelf scaffolding components. Galvanised steel tubes and clamps form a flexible and robust skeleton. Painted OSB boards clad the pavilion inside and out, creating a clear backdrop for the exhibition content.

Pop-up exhibition architecture for Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Pop-up exhibition architecture for Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Fabrication & Assembly

Off-site prefabrication took place over several weeks within the Design Informatics workshop. The process relied on testing, adjustment, and iteration. It had to reconcile rough scaffolding tolerances with precisely CNC-cut panels and sensitive interactive elements.

This hands-on approach allowed the team to refine the pavilion through making. It also supported rapid assembly on site during the festival.

Design and data exhibition
Design and data exhibition

Outcome

The pavilion and the exhibition evolved together as one project. Architects, graphic designers, makers, and researchers worked side by side throughout the process. This collaborative approach produced a structure that feels both purposeful and joyful.

Despite its compact size, the Data Play Pavilion stands out within the busy Fringe environment. It draws people in, invites conversation, and leaves visitors smiling — while quietly asking bigger questions about how data shapes our world.

Research & Education

Festival Context

Industry Collaboration

Temporary Architecture & Design