Pickles & Chutney Pavillon

What were the circumstances of receiving the commission for this project?

Slow Food Nation 2008 was the country's first major sustainable foods celebration. Several Bay Area Architects and Designers were invited to team with food purveyors to design individual "Taste Pavilions" fabricated strictly from repurposed materials.

Can you describe your design process for the installation?

The PICKLE & CHUTNEY PAVILION featured walls made of pickle jars and a ceiling composed of 3,000 mason jar lids suspended from filament. A total of 3,024 metal canning lids became an undulating and dynamic "ceiling" suspended with filament, Velcro and earring backs. The "walls" created with multiple rows of jars simply attached to wood studs and arranged to encourage visitor participation by taking and leaving recipes showcased within the jars themselves.
Over the course of a month and ten "build sessions" that resembled old-fashioned knitting circles, over 100 volunteers contributed their help, ideas and stories to the completion of the Pickle Pavilion. The community that formed throughout this journey would become the most valuable aspect of the experience and distinctly reflective of the Slow Food movement.

How does the installation as completed compare to the project as designed? Were there any dramatic changes between the two and/or lessons learned during construction?

The completed project is remarkably similar to the project as designed. From the start of the project, we worked closely with artisans and fabricators to come to a clear understanding of the appropriate solutions within the client's budget while exploring the possibilities of each of the materials used. With this approach, we were able to develop a design that was innovative while staying within the project's budget, from design through construction.


How does the installation compare to other projects in your office, be it the same or other types of work?

Sagan Piechota is known primarily for high end custom residential design. Exhibit design within the sustainable format of Slow Food was a positive and rewarding team experience.

E-mail interview conducted by John Hill