Mountains of Sound
Portland, OR
A Temporary Pavilion Inspired by the Landforms of Oregon
Every summer, Pendarvis Farm outside Portland transforms into a weekend music festival organized around temporary architecture installations. Our contribution is a freestanding pavilion built for DJ sets, dancing, and gathering, a visual beacon that draws people across the site. While most of Pickathon's music is performed live, we wanted to celebrate a different rhythm of the festival: the transitory moment when the crowd itself moves between stages. This pavilion creates a party built on the energy of that crowd alone, a destination for people who simply want to dance and gather.
The design takes its cue from Wizard Island, the volcanic cinder cone that rises from the center of Crater Lake, formed when Mount Mazama erupted roughly 7,700 years ago and collapsed into its caldera. We borrowed that geometry directly: the pavilion takes on a caldera form, at once an iconic object on the landscape and an occupiable round space up close.
Built from common 2x4 wood studs arrayed in a circle, the structure is simple to construct and easy to upcycle. Inside, a DJ booth anchors the dancing; outside, a continuous formed bench wraps the perimeter, giving people a place to eat, rest, and meet.
