Walk & Talk Pavilion

Azores timber pavilion exhibition

Biomorphis designed the Walk & Talk Pavilion as a temporary architectural structure for the Walk & Talk Festival in Ponta Delgada, on São Miguel Island in the Azores.

The pavilion occupies São João Square, next to the Teatro Micaelense, at the heart of the city.

The project introduces a new artistic and programmatic dimension to the festival. At the same time, it responds to a practical need: creating a shared home and meeting point for artists, organisers, and visitors throughout the event.

Temporary architecture Azores

Urban Context

The pavilion strengthens the relationship with Teatro Micaelense and activates São João Square as a public space. Its position encourages openness, visibility, and accessibility. Rather than operating as a closed object, the structure invites people in and supports informal encounters.

By opening directly onto the square, the pavilion blurs the boundary between festival activities and everyday urban life. This openness reinforces the festival’s presence in the city and encourages spontaneous participation.

Architectural Concept

The design focuses on flexibility, lightness, and adaptability. As a temporary structure, the pavilion needed to assemble efficiently while remaining robust enough to support daily use. The architecture provides a clear framework that accommodates multiple functions without hierarchy.

The pavilion hosts a canteen, bar, auditorium, stage, and reception areas. These elements come together within a single spatial system that supports both programmed events and informal gatherings. Circulation remains intuitive, allowing different activities to coexist without conflict.

Walk & Talk Festival pavilion

Programme and Use

The pavilion supports artistic residencies, performances, talks, and social exchange. It also provides essential backstage and operational spaces for the festival team and participating artists. By concentrating these functions in one place, the pavilion simplifies logistics and strengthens collaboration.

More importantly, the structure acts as a confluence space. Artists, organisers, and visitors meet naturally throughout the day. Conversations begin casually and often extend into performances, discussions, or shared meals.

Outcome

The Walk & Talk Pavilion demonstrates how temporary architecture can play a lasting role in public life. By combining functional clarity with openness and generosity, the pavilion supports artistic production while activating the city.

The project shows how architecture can mediate between culture, community, and public space, even within a limited timeframe. Through careful positioning and programme integration, the pavilion becomes more than an event structure. It becomes a catalyst for exchange, encounter, and collective experience.

Festival & Cultural Context

Public Space & Temporary Architecture